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https://archive.org/details/journeyinbrazil00agas_2 


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COCOEIRO  PALM. 


A 


JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


PROFESSOR  AND  IRS.  LOUIS  AGASSIZ. 


And  whenever  the  way  seemed  long, 

Or  his  heart  began  to  fail, 

She  would  sing  a more  wonderful  song, 
Or  tell  a more  marvellous  tale. 

Longfellow. 


BOSTON: 

FIELDS,  OSGOOD,  & CO., 

SUCCESSORS  TO  TICKNOR  AND  FIELDS. 

1869. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1867,  by 
TICKNOR  AND  FIELDS, 

in  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


SEVENTH  EDITION. 


University  Press:  Welch,  Bigelow,  & Co., 
Cambridge. 


TO 

MR.  NATHANIEL  THAYER, 


THE  FRIEND  WHO  MADE  IT  POSSIBLE  TO  GIVE  THIS  JOURNEY 
THE  CHARACTER  OF  A SCIENTIFIC  EXPEDITION, 

2Tt)e  present  Volume 


IS  GRATEFULLY  INSCRIBED. 


. 


PREFACE. 


In  tlie  winter  of  1865  it  became  necessary  for  me,  on 
account  of  some  disturbance  of  my  health,  to  seek  a change 
of  scene  and  climate,  with  rest  from  work.  Europe  was 
proposed ; but  though  there  is  much  enjoyment  for  a 
naturalist  in  contact  with  the  active  scientific  life  of 
the  Old  World,  there  is  little  intellectual  rest.  Toward 
Brazil  I was  drawn  by  a lifelong  desire.  After  the  death 
of  Spix,  when  a student  of  twenty  years  of  age,  I had 
been  employed  by  Martius  to  describe  the  fishes  they 
had  brought  back  with  them  from  their  celebrated  Bra- 
zilian journey.  From  that  time,  the  wish  to  study  this 
fauna  in  the  regions  where  it  belongs  had  been  an 
ever-recurring  thought  with  me  ; a scheme  deferred  for 
want  of  opportunity,  but  never  quite  forgotten.  The  fact 
that  the  Emperor  of  Brazil  was  deeply  interested  in  all 
scientific  undertakings,  and  had  expressed  a warm  sym- 
pathy with  my  efforts  to  establish  a great  zoological 
museum  in  this  country,  aiding  me  even  by  sending 
collections  made  expressly  under  his  order  for  the  pur- 
pose, was  £n  additional  incentive.  I knew  that  the  head 
of  the  government  would  give  me  every  facility  for  my 
investigations.  Nevertheless,  tempting  as  was  the  pros- 


VI 


PREFACE. 


pect  of  a visit  to  Brazil,  as  a mere  vacation  it  had  little 
charm  for  me.  Single-handed,  I could  make  slight  use 
of  the  opportunities  I should  have  ; and  though  the  ex- 
cursion might  be  a pleasant  one  for  myself,  it  would 
have  no  important  result  for  science.  I could  not  forget 
that,  had  I only  the  necessary  means,  I might  make  col- 
lections on  this  journey  which,  whenever  our  building 
could  be  so  enlarged  as  to  give  room  for  their  exhi- 
bition, would  place  the  Museum  in  Cambridge  on  a level 
with  the  first  institutions  of  the  kind.  But  for  this  a 
working  force  would  be  needed,  and  I saw  no  possibil- 
ity of  providing  for  such  an  undertaking.  While  I was 
brooding  over  these  thoughts  I chanced  to  meet  Mr.  Na- 
thaniel Thayer,  whom  I have  ever  found  a generous  friend 
to  science.  The  idea  of  appealing  to  him  for  a scheme 
of  this  magnitude  had  not,  however,  occurred  to  me  ; 
but  he  introduced  the  subject,  and,  after  expressing  his 
interest  in  my  proposed  journey,  added,  “ You  wish,  of 
course,  to  give  it  a scientific  character ; take  six  assist- 
ants with  you,  and  I will  be  responsible  for  all  their 
expenses,  personal  and  scientific.”  It  was  so  simply  said, 
and  seemed  to  me  so  great  a boon,  that  at  first  I hardly 
believed  I had  heard  him  rightly.  In  the  end,  I had 
cause  to  see  in  how  large  and  liberal  a sense  he  proffered 
his  support  to  the  expedition,  which,  as  is  usual  in  such 
cases,  proved  longer  and  more  costly  than  was  at  first 
anticipated.  Not  only  did  he  provide  most  liberally  for 
assistants,  but,  until  the  last  specimen  was  stored  in  the 
Museum,  he  continued  to  advance  whatever  sums  were 


PREFACE. 


vii 


needed,  always  desiring  me  to  inform  him  should  any 
additional  expenses  occur  on  closing  up  the  affairs  of  the 
expedition.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  good  arising  from 
the  knowledge  of  such  facts  justifies  me  in  speaking  here 
of  these  generous  deeds,  accomplished  so  unostentatiously 
that  they  might  otherwise  pass  unnoticed. 

All  obstacles  thus  removed  from  my  path,  I made  my 
preparations  for  departure  as  rapidly  as  possible.  The 
assistants  I selected  to  accompany  me  were  Mr.  James 
Burkliardt  as  artist,  Mr.  John  G.  Anthony  as  conchologist, 
Mr.  Frederick  C.  Hartt  and  Mr.  Orestes#  St.  John  as  geolo- 
gists, Mr.  John  A.  Allen  as  ornithologist,  and  Mr.  George 
Sceva  as  preparator.  Beside  these,  my  party  was  enlarged 
by  several  volunteers,  to  whom  I was  indebted  for  assist- 
'ance  as  untiring  and  efficient  as  if  they  had  been  en- 
gaged for  the  purpose.  These  were  Mr.  Newton  Dexter, 
Mr.  William  James,  Mr.  Edward  Copeland,  Mr.  Thomas 
Ward,  Mr.  Walter  Hunnewell,  and  Mr.  S.  Y.  R.  Thayer. 
I should  not  omit  to  mention  my  brother-in-law,  Mr. 
Thomas  G.  Cary,  as  one  of  my  aids ; for,  though  not  nom- 
inally connected  with  the  expedition,  he  made  collections 
for  me  at  Monte  Video,  Buenos  Ayres,  and  other  places. 
I was  also  joined  by  my  friends  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Cotting. 
Dr.  Cotting,  like  myself,  was  in  need  of  a vacation,  and 
it  was  his  intention  to  remain  with  us  for  as  long  a 
time  as  he  could  spare  from  his  professional  practice. 
But  the  climate  proved  unfavorable  to  his  health,  and 
after  passing  a couple  of  months  in  Rio,  and  sharing 
with  us  all  our  excursions  in  that  neighborhood,  he 


viii 


PEEFACE. 


sailed  with  Mrs.  Cotting  for  Europe,  where  they  passed 
the  summer.  His  presence  with  us  during  that  time 
was  most  fortunate,  for  it  so  happened  that  the  only 
serious  cases  of  illness  we  had  among  us  occurred  before 
he  left,  and  his  medical  advice  and  care  were  of  great 
service.  I lost  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Anthony,  and  Mr. 
Allen  also,  early  in  the  expedition ; their  health,  always 
delicate,  obliging  them  to  leave  for  home.  With  these 
exceptions,  our  working  force  remained  intact,  and  I am 
happy  to  state  that  every  member  of  the  party  returned 
in  safety  to  the  ^United  States.* 

No  sooner  was  the  Brazilian  Expedition  known  to  the 
public,  than  I received  a letter  from  Mr.  Allen  McLane, 
President  of  the  Pacific  Mail  Steamship  Company,  offer- 
ing to  me  and  my  whole  party  the  hospitality  of  their 
magnificent  ship  the  Colorado,  then  just  sailing  from 
New  York  for  the  Pacific  coast.  She  was  going  almost 
empty  of  passengers,  being  bound  by  the  way  of  Cape 
Horn  for  San  Francisco.  We  left  New  York  on  board 
this  beautiful  vessel,  on  the  1st  of  April,  1865.  The 

record  of  our  delightful  voyage  to  Rio  de  Janeiro  will 

* There  is  but  one  sad  record  I have  to  make  connected  with  this  journey. 
My  friend  and  companion  of  many  years,  Mr.  Burkhardt,  died  about  ten 
months  after  his  return,  of  a disease  which,  though  not  contracted  in  Brazil, 
since  it  was  of  some  years’  standing,  was  no  doubt  aggravated  by  the  hot 
climate.  His  great  desire  to  accompany  me  led  him,  against  my  advice, 
to  undertake  a journey  which,  in  his  case,  was  a dangerous  one.  He  suffered 
very  much  during  our  stay  on  the  Amazons,  but  I could  not  persuade  him  to 
leave  his  work;  and  in  the  following  pages  it  will  be  seen  that  his  industry 
was  unflagging. 


PEEFACE. 


ix 


be  found  in  the  narrative  ; but  I wish  here  publicly  to 
acknowledge  my  obligation  to  Mr.  McLane  for  his  gener- 
osity to  the  expedition.  Besides  the  sympathy  accorded 
me  by  private  individuals,  I have  to  thank  the  Hon.  Gideon 
Welles,  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  for  a general  order,  received 
on  the  eve  of  my  departure,  desiring  the  officers  of  the 
United  States  Navy,  wherever  I should  fall  in  with  them, 
to  afford  me  such  assistance  in  my  scientific  researches 
as  would  not  interfere  with  the  regular  service ; and  1 
learned  at  Rio  that  Mr.  Seward  had  warmly  recommended 
the  expedition  to  General  Webb,  at  that  time  United 
States  Minister  to  Brazil.  Finally,  I would  express  my 
thanks  also  to  Messrs.  Garrison  and  Allen  for  the  free 
passage  offered  to  myself  and  my  companions  fpr  our 
•return,  on  board  the  line  of  steamers  established  be- 
tween New  York  and  Rio  de  Janeiro  during  our  stay  in 
Brazil. 

It  will  be  seen  hereafter  what  facilities  were  granted 
me  throughout  this  journey  by  the  Brazilians  themselves, 
and  that  the  undertaking,  so  warmly  speeded  on  its  way, 
was  welcomed  no  less  cordially  in  the  country  to  which 
it  was  bound. 

One  word  as  to  the  manner  in  which  this  volume  has 
grown  into  its  present  shape,  for  it  has  been  rather  the 
natural  growth  of  circumstances  than  the  result  of  any 
preconceived  design.  Partly  for  the  entertainment  of  her 
friends,  partly  with  the  idea  that  I might  make  some  use 
of  it  in  knitting  together  the  scientific  reports  of  my 
journey  by  a thread  of  narrative,  Mrs.  Agassiz  began  this 


X 


PREFACE. 


diary.  I soon  fell  into  the  habit  of  giving  her  daily  the 
more  general  results  of  my  scientific  observations,  knowing 
that  she  would  allow  nothing  to  be  lost  which  was  worth 
preserving.  In  consequence  of  this  mode  of  working, 
our  separate  contributions  have  become  so  closely  inter- 
woven that  we  should  hardly  know  how  to  disconnect 
them,  and  our  common  journal  is  therefore  published, 
with  the  exception  of  a few  unimportant  changes,  almost 
as  it  was  originally  written.  In  this  volume  I have  at- 
tempted only  to  give  such  an  account  of  my  scientific 
work  and  its  results  as  would  explain  to  the  public  what 
were  the  aims  of  the  expedition,  and  how  far  they  have 
been  accomplished.  It  is  my  hope  to  complete  a work, 
already  begun,  on  the  Natural  History,  and  especially  on 
the  Fishes  of  Brazil,  in  which  will  be  recorded  not  only 
my  investigations  during  the  journey  and  those  of  my 
assistants  in  their  independent  excursions,  but  also  the 
researches  now  regularly  carried  on  in  connection  with 
the  immense  Brazilian  collections  stored  in  the  Museum 
at  Cambridge.  This  must,  however,  be  the  slow  labor 
of  many  years,  and  can  only  be  published  very  gradually. 
In  the  mean  time  I hope  that  this  forerunner  of  the  more 
special  reports  may  serve  to  show  that  our  year  in  Brazil, 
full  as  it  was  of  enjoyment  for  all  the  party,  was  also  rich 
in  permanent  results  for  science. 


L.  AGASSIZ. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


♦ 

CHAPTER  I. 

VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 

PAOI 

First  Sunday  at  Sea — Gulf  Stream.  — Gulf-Weed.  — Lectures  proposed. — 

First  Lecture:  On  the  Gulf  Stream  in  the  Gulf  Stream.  — Aquarium 
established  on  board.  — Second  Lecture  — Rough  Sea.  — Peculiar  Tint  of 
Water.  — Third  Lecture  : Laying  out  Work  of  Expedition  in  Brazil ; Dis- 
tribution of  Fishes  in  Brazilian  Rivers  ; its  Bearing  on  Origin  of  Species ; 
Collecting  of  Eggs.  — Tropical  Sunset.  — Fourth  Lecture:  Plan  of  Geologi- 
cal Investigations  with  special  reference  to  Glacial  Phenomena  in  South 
America.  — Flying-Fish.  — Fifth  Lecture:  Glacial  Phenomena,  continued. 

— Second  Sunday  at  Sea.  — Rough  Water.  — Sixth  Lecture  : Embryo- 
logical  Investigations  as  a Guide  to  sound  Classification.  — Seventh  Lec- 
ture.— Moonlight  Nights.  — Trade-Winds.  — Eighth  Lecture : Importance 
of  Precision  in  Localizing  Specimens.  — Southern  Cross. — Ninth  Lecture: 
Fresh-water  Fishes  of  Brazil.  — Easter  Sunday.  — First  Sight  of  South 
American  Shore.  — Olinda. — Pernambuco. — Catamarans. — Tenth  Lec- 
ture : Methods  of  Collecting.  — Eleventh  Lecture : Classification  of  Fishes 
as  illustrated  by  Embryology.  — Preparations  for  Arrival.  — Twelfth  Lec- 
ture: Practical  Lesson  in  Embryology. — Closing  Lecture:  Transmu- 
tation Theory;  Intellectual  and  Political  Indepe'ndence.  — Resolutions  and 
Speeches. — Singular  Red  Patches  on  the  Surface  of  the  Sea.  . . 1-44 


CHAPTER  II. 

RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS.  — JUIZ  DE  FORA. 

Arrival.  — Aspect  of  Harbor  and  City.  — Custom-House.  — First  Glimpse  of 
Brazilian  Life.  — Negro  Dance.  — Effeot  of  Emancipation  in  United 
States  upon  Slavery  in  Brazil.  — First  Aspect  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  on  Land. 

— Picturesque  Street  Groups.  — Eclipse  of  the  Sun.  — At  Home  in  Rio.  — 
Larangeiras.  — Passeio  Publico.  — Excursion  on  the  Dom  Pedro  Railroad. 

— Visit  of  the  Emperor  to  the  Colorado.  — Cordiality  of  the  Government 
to  the  Expedition.  — Laboratory.  — Botanical  Garden.  — Alley  of  Palms.  — 
Excursion  to  the  Corcovado.  — Juiz  de  Fora  Road.  — Petropolis.  — Trop- 
ical Vegetation.  — Ride  from  Petropolis  to  Juiz  de  Fora.  — Visit  to  Sen- 
hor  Lage.  — Excursion  to  the  Forest  of  the  Empress.  — Visit  to  Mr. 
Halfeld.  — Return  to  Rio.  — News  of  the  Great  Northern  Victories,  and  of 

the  President’s  Assassination 46-79 


Xll 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  III. 

LIFE  IN’  RIO  CONTINUED.  — FAZENDA  LIFE. 

Botafogo.  — Insane  Hospital.  — Tijuca.  — Erratic  Drift.  — Vegetation.  — 
Birthday  Dinner.  — Arrangements  for  Parties  to  the  Interior.  — Public 
Lectures  in  Rio. — Procession  of  St.  George.  — Leave  Rio  on  Excursion  to 
the  Fortaleza  de  Santa  Anna.  — Localities  for  Erratic  Drift  between  Rio 
and  Petropolis.  — Departure  from  Juiz  de  Fora.  — Arrival  at  the  Fazenda. 

Ride  in  the  Forest.  — Eve  of  San  Joao. — Cupim  Nests.  — Excursion  to 
the  Upper  Fazenda.  — Grand  Hunt.  — Picnic.  — Coffee  Plantation. — 
Return  to  Rio.  — Mimic  Snow-Fields.  — Coffee  Insect  spinning  its  Nest. 

— Visit  to  the  Fazenda  of  Commendador  Breves.  — Botanizing  Excursion 
to  Tijuca.  — Preparations  for  leaving  Rio.  — Major  Coutinho.  — Collegio 
Dom  Pedro  Segundo.  80-125 


CHAPTER  IV. 

VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAST  TO  PARA. 

On  board  the  Cruzeiro  do  Sul.  — Members  of  the  Party.  — Arrival  at 
Bahia.  — Day  in  the  Country.  — Return  to  the  Steamer.  — Conversation 
about  Slavery  in  Brazil.  — Negro  Marriages.  — Maceio.  — Pernambuco.  — 
Parahyba  do  Norte.  — Ramble  on  Shore.  — Ceara.  — Difficult  Landing.  — 
Brazilian  Baths.  — Maranham.  — Assai  Palm.  — Visit  to  Orphan  Asylum. — 
Detained  in  Port.  — Variety  of  Medusae.  — Arrival  of  American  Gunboat. 

— More  Medusae.  — Dinner  on-  Shore.  — Cordiality  toward  the  Expedition. 

— Arrival  at  Para.  — Kind  Reception.  — Environs  of  Para.  — Luxuriant 

Growth.  — Markets.  — Indian  Boats.  — Agreeable  Climate.  — Excursion 
in  the  Harbor.  — Curious  Mushroom.  — Success  in  collecting,  with  the 
assistance  of  our  Host  and  other  Friends.  — Fishes  of  the  Forests. — 
Public  Expressions  of  Sympathy  for  the  Expedition.  — Generosity  of  the 
Amazonian  Steamship  Company.  — Geological  Character  of  the  Shore 
from  Rio  to  Para.  — Erratic  Drift.  — Letter  to  the  Emperor.  . 126  - 11 1 

CHAPTER  Y. 

FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 

First  Sunday  on  the  Amazons.  — Geographical  Question.  — Convenient  Ar- 
rangements of  Steamer.  — Vast  Dimensions  of  the  River.  — Aspect  of 
Shores.  — Village  of  Breves.  — Letter  about  Collections.  — Vegetation. — 
Variety  of  Palms.  — Settlement  of  Tajapuru.  — Enormous  Size  of  Leaves 
of  the  Miriti  Palm.  — Walk  on  Shore.  — Indian  Houses.  — Courtesy  of 
Indians. — Row  in  the  Forest.  — Town  of  Gurupa.  — River  Xingu. — 

Color  of  Water.  — Town  of  Porto  do  Moz.  — Flat-topped  Hills  of  Almey- 
rim.  — Beautiful  Sunset.  — Monte  Aldgre.  — Character  of  Scenery  and 
Soil.  — Santarem.  — Send  off  Party  on  the  River  Tapajoz.  — Continue  up 
the  Amazons. — Pastoral  Scenes  on  the  Banks.  — Town  of  Villa  Bella. — 

Canoe  Journey  at  Night. — Esperanpa’s  Cottage.  — Picturesque  Scene  at 
Night.  — Success  in  Collecting.  — Indian  Life.  — Making  Farinha.  — Dance 
in  the  Evening.  — Howling  Monkeys.  — Religious  Impressions  of  Indians.  — 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Xlll 


Cottage  of  Maia.  — His  Interest  in  Educating  his  Children.  — Return  to 
Steamer.  — Scientific  Results  of  the  Excursion 152-184 

CHAPTER  VI. 

LIFE  AT  MANAOS. — VOYAGE  FROM  MANAOS  TO  TABATINGA. 

Arrival  at  Manaos.  — Meeting  of  the  Solimoens  with  the  Rio  Negro.  — Do- 
mesticated at  Manaos.  — Return  of  Party  from  the  Tapajoz.  — Generosity  of 
Government.  — Walks.  — Water-Carriers.  — Indian  School.  — Leave  Ma- 
naos.— Life  on  board  the  Steamer.  — Barreira  das  Cudajas. — Coari. — 
Wooding.  — Appearance  of  Banks.  — Geological  Constitution.  — Forest. — 
Sumaumeira-Tree.  — Arrow-Grass.  — Red  Drift  Cliffs.  — Sand-Beaches.  — 

Indian  Huts.  — Turtle-Hunting.  — Drying  Fish.  — Teffe,  — Doubts  about 
the  Journey.  — Unexpected  Adviser.  — Fonte  Boa.  — Geological  Char- 
acter of  Banks.  — Lakes.  — Flocks  of  Water  Birds.  — Tonantins.  — Pic- 
turesque Grouping  of  Indians.  — San  Paolo.  — Land-Slides.  — Character 
of  Scenery.  — Scanty  Population.  — Animal  Life.  — Tabatinga.  — Aspect 
of  the  Settlement.  — Mosquitoes.  — Leave  one  of  the  Party  to  make  Col- 
lections. — On  our  Way  down  the  River.  — Party  to  the  Rivers  I?a  and 
Hyutahy.  — Aground  in  the  Amazons.  — Arrival  at  Teffd.  . . 185  - 211 


CHAPTER  VII. 

LIFE  IN  TEFEE. 

% 

Aspect  of  Teffd.  — Situation.  — Description  of  Houses.  — Fishing  Excur- 
sion.— Astonishing  Variety  of  Fishes.  — Acara. — Scarcity  of  Laborers. 

Our  Indoors  Man.  — Bruno.  — Alexandrina.  — Pleasant  Walks.  — Man- 
dioca-shed  in  the  Forest.  — Indian  Encampment  on  the  Beach.  — Excursion 
to  Fishing  Lodge  on  the  Solimoens.  — Amazonian  Beaches.  — Breeding- 
Places  of  Turtles,  Fishes,  etc.  — Adroitness  of  Indians  in  finding  them.  — 
Description  of  a “ Sitio.” — Indian  Clay-Eaters — Cuieira-Tree.  — Fish 
Hunt.  — Forest  Lake.  — Water  Birds.  — Success  in  Collecting.  — Evening 
Scene  in  Sitio.  — Alexandrina  as  Scientific  Aid.  — Fish  Anecdote.  — 
Relations  between  Fishes  as  shown  by  their  Embryology.  — Note  upon 
the  Marine  Character  of  the  Amazonian  Faunae.  — Aoara.  — News  from 
the  Parties  in  the  Interior.  — Return  of  Party  from  the  I^a.  — Prepara- 
tions for  Departure. — Note  on  General  Result  of  Scientific  Work'  in 
Teffd. — Waiting  for  the  Steamer.  — Sketch  of  Alexandrina.  — Mocuim. 

— Thunder-Storm. — Repiquete.  — Geological  Observations.  . . 212  250 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

RETURN  TO  MANAOS.  — AMAZONIAN  PICNIC. 

Arrival  at  Manaos.  — New  Quarters.  — The  Ibicuhy.  — News  from  Home. 

Visit  to  the  Cascade.  — Banheiras  in  the  Forest.  — Excursion  to  Lake 
Hvanuary.  — Character  and  Prospects  of  the  Amazonian  Valley.  — Recep- 
tion at  the  Lake.  — Description  of  Sitio. — Successful  Fishing. — Indian 
Visitors.  — Indian  Ball.  — Character  of  the  Dancing.  — Disturbed  Night.  — 


xiv 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Canoe  Excursion.  — Scenery.  — Another  Sitio.  — Morals  and  Manners.  — 

Talk  with  the  Indian  Women.  — Life  in  the  Forest.  — Life  in  the  Towns. 
Dinner-Party.  — Toasts.  — Evening  Row  on  the  Lake.  — Night  Scene.  — 
Smoking  among  the  Senhoras.  — Return  to  Manaos.  . . . 251  - 275 

CHAPTER  IX. 

MANAOS  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD. 

Photographic  Establishment. — Indian  Portraits.  — Excursion  to  the  Great 
Cascade. — Its  Geological  Formation.  — Bathing  Pool.  — Parasitic  Plants. 

— Return  by  the  Igarapd. — Public  Ball.  — Severity  in  Recruiting,  and  its 
Effects. — Collecting  Parties.  — Scenes  of  Indian  Life.  — Fete  Champetre 
at  the  Casa  dos  Educandos.  — Prison  at  Manaos. — Prison  Discipline  on 
the  Amazons. — Extracts  from  Presidential  Reports  on  this  Subject. — 

Prison  at  Teff6. — General  Character  of  Brazilian  Institutions. — Em- 
peror’s Birthday.  — Illuminations  and  Public  Festivities.  — Return  of  Col- 
lecting Parties.  — Remarks  on  the  Races.  — Leave  Manaos  for  Mauhes.  276  - 300 

CHAPTER  X. 

EXCURSION  TO  MAUHES  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD. 

Leave  Manaos.  — On  board  the  Ibicuhy.  — Navigation  of  the  River  Ra- 
mos.— Aspect  of  the  Banks.  — Arrival  at  Mauhes.  — Situation  of  Mau- 
hes. — Tupinambaranas.  — Character  of  Population.  — Appearance  of  the 
Villages  of  Mauhes.  — Bolivian  Indians.  — Guarana. — -Excursion  to  Mu- 
caja-Tuba.  — Mundurucu  Indians.  — Aspect  of  Village. — Church.  — Dis- 
tribution of  Presents.  — Generosity  of  the  Indians. — Their  Indifference. — 

Visit  to  another  Settlement.  — Return  to  Mauhes.  — Arrival  of  Munduru- 
cus  in  the  Village.  — Description  of  Tattooing.  — Collection.  — Boto.— 

Indian  Superstitions.  — Palm  Collection.  — Walk  in  the  Forest.  — Leave 
Mauhes. — Mundurucu  Indian  and  his  Wife.  — Their  Manners  and  Ap- 
pearance.— Indian  Tradition.  — Distinctions  of  Caste.  . . . 301  -321 

CHAPTER  XI. 

RETURN  TO  MANAOS.  — EXCURSION  ON  THE  RIO  NEGRO. 

Christmas  Eve  at  Manaos.  — Ceremonies  of  the  Indians.  — Churches  on  the 
Amazons.  — Leave  Manaos  for  the  Rio  Negro.  — Curious  River  Formation. 

— Aspect  of  the  River.  — Its  Vegetation.  — Scanty  Population.  — Village 
of  Tana  Pdassu.  — Padre  of  the  Village. — Palms.  — Village  of  Pedreira. — 

Indian  Camp.  — Making  Palm-thatch.  — Sickness  and  Want  at  Pedreira. 

• — Row  in  the  Forest.  — Tropical  Shower.  — Geology  of  Pedreira.  — Indian 
Recruits.  — Collection  of  Palms.  — Extracts  from  Mr.  Agassiz’s  Notes  on 
Vegetation. — Return  to  Manaos.  — Desolation  of  the  Rio  Negro. — Its  fu- 
ture Prospects.  — Humboldt’s  Anticipations.  — Wild  Flowers.  — Distribu- 
tion of  Fishes  in  the  Amazonian  Waters.  — How  far  due  to  Migration.  — 
Hydrographic  System.  — Alternation  between  the  Rise  and  Fall  of  the 
Southern  and  Northern  Tributaries 322  - 350 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


XV 


CHAPTER  XII. 

DOWN  THE  RIVER  TO  PARA. — EXCURSIONS  ON  THE  COAST. 

Farewell  Visit  to  the  Great  Cascade  at  Manaos.  — Change  in  its  Aspect.  — 
Arrival  at  Villa  Bella.  — Return  to  the  House  of  the  Fisherman  Maia.  — 
Excursion  to  the  Lago  Maximo.  — Quantity  of  Game  and  Waterfowl. 

— Victoria  regia.  — Leave  Villa  Bella.  — Arrive  at  Obydos.  — Its  Situation 
and  Geology.  — Santarem.  — Visit  to  the  Church.  — Anecdote  of  Martius. 

— A Row  overland.  — Monte  Alegre.  — Picturesque  Scenery.  — Banheiras. 

— Excursion  into  the  Country.  — Leave  Monte  Alegre.  — Anecdote  of  In- 
dians.— Almeyrim.  — New  Geological  Facts.  — Porto  do  Moz.  — Collec- 
tions. — Gurupa.  — Tajapurd.  — Arrive  at  Para.  — Religious  Procession. 

— Excursion  to  Marajo.  — Souris. — Jesuit  Missions.  — Geology  of  Ma- 
rajo.  — Buried  Forest.  — Vigia.  — Igarap4.  — Vegetation  and  Animal  Life. 

— Geology.  — Return  to  Para.  — Photographing  Plants. — Notes  on  the 

Vegetation  of  the  Amazons.  — Prevalence  of  Leprosy.  ...  . 351  - 396 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 

Drift  about  Rio  de  Janeiro.  — Decomposition  of  underlying  Rock.  — Different 
Aspect  of  Glacial  Phenomena  in  different  Continents.  — Fertility  of  the 
Drift.  — Geological  Observations  of  Messrs.  Hartt  and  St.  John.  — Corre- 
spondence of  Deposits  along  the  Coast  with  those  of  Rio  and  those  of  the 
Valley  of  the  Amazons. — Primitive  Formation  of  the  Valley.  — First  known 
Chapter  of  its  History.  — Cretaceous  Fossil  Fishes.  — Former  Extent 
of  the  South- American  Coast.  — Cretaceous  Fossils  from  the  Rio  Purus. 

— Comparison  between  North  and  South  America.  — Geological  Forma- 
tions along  the  Banks  of  the  Amazons.  — Fossil  Leaves.  — Clays  and 
Sandstones.  — Hills  of  Almeyrim.  — Monte  Alegre.  — Situation  and 
Scenery.  — Serra  of  Erer4.  — Comparison  with  Swiss  Scenery.  — Boulders 
of  Erer£. — Ancient  Thickness  of  Amazonian  Deposits.  — Difference  be- 
tween Drift  of  the  Amazons  and  that  of  Rio.  — Inferences  drawn  from  the 
present  Condition  of  the  Deposits.  — Immense  Extent  of  Sandstone  For- 
mation.— Nature  and  Origin  of  these  Deposits.  — Referred  to  the  Ice- 
Period.  — Absence  of  Glacial  Marks.  — Glacial  Evidence  of  another  Kind. 

— Changes  in  the  Outline  of  the  South- American  Coast.  — Sour(£.  — 
Igarap£  Grande.  — Vigia.  — Bay  of  Braganza.  — Anticipation.  . 397  - 441 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

CEARA. 

Leaving  Para.  — Farewell  to  the  Amazons. — Ease  of  Travelling  on  the 
Amazons.  — Rough  Passage.  — Arrival  at  Ceara.  — Difficulty  of  Landing. 
— Aspect  of  the  Town.  — Rainy  Season.  — Consequent  Sickliness.  — Our 
Purpose  in  stopping  at  Ceara.  — Report  of  Dr.  Felice  about  Moraines. — 
Preparations  for  Journey  into  the  Interior.  — Difficulties  and  Delays  in 
getting  off.  — On  the  Way.  — Night  at  Arancho.  — Bad  Roads.  — Car- 


xvi 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


nauba  Palm. — Arrival  at  Monguba.  — Kind  Reception  by  Senhor  Frank- 
lin de  Lima.  — Geology  of  the  Region.  — Evening  Games  and  Amusements. 

— Pacatuba.  — Traces  of  ancient  Glaciers.  — Serra  of  Aratanha.  — Climb 
up  the  Serra.  — Hospitality  of  Senhor  da  Costa.  — Picturesque  Views.  — 

The  SertaS.  — Drought  and  Rains.  —Epidemics.  — Return  to  Monguba. — 
Detained  by  extraordinary  Rains.  — Return  to  Ceara. — Overflowed  Roads. 

— Difficulty  of  fording.  — Arrival  at  Ceara.  — Liberality  of  the  President 

of  the  Province  toward  the  Expedition 442-465 

CHAPTER  XV. 

PUBLIC  INSTITUTIONS  OF  RIO. — ORGAN  MOUNTAINS. 

Voyage  from  Ceara.  — Freshets  at  Pernambuco.  — Arrival  at  Rio. — Collec- 
tions. — Vegetation  about  Rio  as  compared  with  that  on  the  Amazons. — 
Misericordia  Hospital.  — Charities  connected  with  it.  — Almsgiving  in 
Brazil.  — Insane  Asylum.  — Military  School.  — The  Mint.  — Academy  of 
Fine  Arts.  — Heroism  of  a Negro.  — Primary  School  for  Girls.  — Neglected 
Education  of  Women. — Blind  Asylum.  — Lectures.  — Character  of  a Bra- 
zilian Audience.  — Organ  Mountains.  — Walk  up  the  Serra. — Theresopolis. 

— Visit  to  the  St.  Louis  Fazenda.  — Climate  of  Theresopolis. — Descent  of 

the  Serra.  — Geology  of  the  Organ  Mountains.  — The  Last  Word.  466-494 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS  OF  BRAZIL. 

Religion  and  Clergy.  — Education.  — Law,  Medical,  and  Scientific  Schools. 

— High  and  Common  Schools.  — Public  Library  and  Museum  in  Rio  de 
Janeiro.  — Historical  and  Geographical  Institute.  — Social  and  Domestic 
Relations.  — Public  Functionaries.  — Agriculture.  — Zones  of  Vegetation. 

— Coffee.  — Cotton.  — Timber  and  other  Products  of  the  Amazons. — 

Cattle.  — Territorial  Subdivision  of  the  Great  Valley.  — Emigration.— 
Foreigners.  — Paraguayan  War. 495-517 


APPENDIX. 


I.  The  Gulf  Stream 519 

II.  Flying-Fishes 522 

III.  Resolutions  passed  on  board  the  Colorado 525 

IV.  Dom  Pedro  Segundo  Railroad 527 

V.  Permanence  of  Characteristics  in  different  Human  Species  . . . 629 

VI.  Sketch  of  Separate  Journeys  undertaken  by  different  Members  of  the 

Expedition 633 


LIST  OF  WOODCUTS 


Cocoeiro  Palm  .......  frontispiece 


A species  of  Attalea  common  in  the  Serra  d’ Estrella.  It  bears  two  or 
three  large  bunches  of  olive-like  berries,  hanging  immediately  below  the 
crown  of  leaves.  The  upper  part  of  the  stem  is  often  overgrown  with 
parasites,  as  in  the  specimen  represented  here. 

From  a photograph  by  G.  Leuzinger. 


Page 

Tree  entwined  by  Sipos 54 


There  are  a great  many  parasites,  the  stem  and  roots  of  which  are  attached 
to  larger  trees;  this  woodcut  represents  one  of  those  strange  “tree-killers,” 
as  they  are  called  by  the  natives,  belonging  to  the  family  of  the  Fig-trees, 
which,  beginning  their  growth  among  the  upper  branches  of  trees,  gradu- 
ally descend  to  the  ground,  throw  out  branches  around  the  stem  they 
attack,  and  in  the  end  kill  it  in  their  embrace.  On  the  right  are  Lianas, 
from  which  hang  pai'asitic  flowers. 

From  a photograph  by  G.  Leuzinger. 

Side  View  of  the  Alley  of  Palms 60 

Part  of  the  Botanical  Garden  in  Rio  de  Janeiro.  In  the  foreground  a 
Pandanus  covered  with  fruits.  The  Palms  standing  in  pairs  in  the  great 
alley  are  commonly  called  Palma  Real.  Their  botanical  name  is  Oreo- 
doxa  oleracea.  The  peak  of  Corcovado  forms  the  background. 

From  a photograph  by  Messrs.  Stahl  & Wahnschaffe. 


Vista  down  the  Alley  of  Palms 61 

The  objects  are  the  same  as  in  the  preceding  woodcut,  only  seen  at  right 
angles,  to  afford  a view  down  the  alley. 

From  a photograph  by  Messrs.  Stahl  & Wahnschaffe. 

Botafogo  Bay 81 

The  great  southeastern  bay  in  the  harbor  of  Rio  de  Janeiro.  The  highest 
peak  in  the  centre  is  the  Corcovado,  at  the  foot  of  which  stand  the  Insane 
Asylum  and  the  Military  School.  On  the  left  are  the  Gavia  and  the  Sugar- 
Loaf  ; on  the  right,  Tijuca.  A beach  runs  all  round  the  bay. 

From  a photograph  by  G.  Leuzinger. 

b 


mu 


LIST  OF  WOODCUTS. 


Mina  Negress 

From  a photograph  by  Messrs.  Stahl  & Wahnschaffe. 

Mina  Negress  and  Child 

From  a photograph  by  Messrs.  Stahl  & Wahnschaffe. 

Fallen  Trunk  overgrown  by  Parasites  .... 

A comparison  with  the  woodcut  facing  p.  64  will  show  how  parasites  grow- 
ing upon  living  trees  differ  from  those  springing  from  dead  trunks. 
From  a photograph  by  G.  Leuzinger. 

Fazenda  de  Santa  Anna,  in  Minas  Geraes  . 

The  level  grounds  in  front  of  the  buildings  are  used  for  drying  the  coffee. 
From  a photograph  by  Senhor  Machado. 

Esperanqa’s  Cottage 

From  a water-colored  painting  by  Mr.  J.  Burkhardt. 

Veranda  and  Dining-Room  at  Teff£  .... 
From  a drawing  by  Mr.  J.  Burkhardt. 

Head  of  Alexandrina 

Extraordinary  as  the  head  of  hair  of  this  girl  may  seem,  it  is  in  no  way 
exaggerated ; it  stood  six  inches  beyond  the  shoulders  each  way. 

From  a sketch  by  Mr.  Wm.  James. 

Dining-Room  at  Hyanuary 

The  palm  on  the  left  is  a Pupunha  (Guilielma  speciosa);  the  large-leaved 
trees  back  of  the  building  are  Bananas,  and  the  Palm  on  the  right  a 
Javari  (Astrocaryum  Javari). 

From  a water-colored  painting  by  Mr.  J.  Burkhardt. 

Mauhes  River 

The  Palm  in  the  foreground  is  a Mucaja  (Acrocomia  lasiospatha)  ; near 
the  fence  stand  Banana-trees,  and  in  the  distance  on  the  right  a Tucuma 
Palm  (Astrocaryum  Tucuma). 

From  a water-colored  painting  by  Mr.  J.  Burkhardt. 

Mundurucu  Indian;  male 

From  a photograph  by  Dr.  Gustavo,  of  Manaos. 

Mundurucu  Indian;  female  

Also  from  a photograph  by  Dr.  Gustavo,  of  Manaos. 


83 

84 

91 

103 

179 

214 

245 

258 

l 

i 

304 

313 

314 


LIST  OF  WOODCUTS. 


XIX 


Fan  Baccaba  335 

This  Palm,  called  (Enocarpus  distychius  by  botanists,  is  remarkable  for  the 
arrangement  of  its  leaves,  which  are  placed  opposite  to  each  other  on  two 
sides  of  the  trunk,  and  higher  and  higher  alternately,  so  that,  seen  from 
one  side,  the  two  rows  of  leaves  are  equally  visible,  and  have  the  appear- 
ance of  a wide  fan ; seen  in  profile,  they  look  like  a narrow  plume. 

From  a drawing  by  Mr.  J.  Burkhardt. 


SUMAUMEIRA 391 

This  colossal  tree  is  known  to  botanists  under  the  name  of  Eriodendrum 
Sumauma,  and  may  be  seen  everywhere  in  the  basin  of  the  Amazons. 

From  a photograph  presented  by  Senhor  Pimenta  Bueno. 


Garafoa,  among  the  Organ  Mountains 486 

This  peak  is  called  the  Finger  by  the  English  residents  of  Eio.  The  Bra- 
zilians liken  it  to  a bottle. 

From  a photograph  by  G.  Leuzinger. 


Organ  Mountains 490 

The  loose  boulder  alluded  to  in  the  text  stands  on  the  fourth  peak  from  the 
left. 

From  a photograph  by  G.  Leuzinger. 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL 


CHAPTER  I. 

VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


First  Sunday  at  Sea. — Gulp  Stream. — Gulp-Weed.  — Lectures  pro- 
posed.— First  Lecture:  “ On  the  Gulf  Stream  in  the  Gulf  Stream.” 

— Aquarium  established  on  board.  — Second  Lecture.  — Rough  Sea. 

— Peculiar  Tint  op  Water. — Third  Lecture:  Laying  out  Work  of 
Expedition  in  Brazil  ; Distribution  of  Fishes  in  Brazilian  Rivers;  its 
Bearing  on  Origin  of  Species;  Collecting  of  Eggs.  — Tropical  Sun- 
set. — Fourth  Lecture  : Plan  of  Geological  Investigations  with  spe- 
cial REFERENCE  TO  GLACIAL  PHENOMENA  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. — FLYING- 
Fish.  — Fifth  Lecture:  Glacial  Phenomena,  continued.  — Second  Sun- 
day at  Sea.  — Rough  Water.  — Sixth  Lecture:  Embryological  Inves- 
tigations asa  Guide  to  sound  Classification.  — Seventh  Lecture. — 
Moonlight  Nights. — Trade-Winds. — Eighth  Lecture  : Importance  of 
Precision  in  Localizing  Specimens.  — Southern  Cross.  — Ninth  Lec- 
ture : Fresh- water  Fishes  of  Brazil.  — Easter  Sunday.  — First  Sight 
of  South  American  Shore.  — Olinda.  — Pernambuco.  — Catamarans.  — 
Tenth  Lecture:  Methods,  of  Collecting.  — Eleventh  Lecture:  Clas- 
sification of  Fishes,  as  illustrated  by  Embryology. — Preparations 
for  Arrival.  — Twelfth  Lecture  : Practical  Lesson  in  Embryology 

— Closing  Lecture  : Transmutation  Theory  ; Intellectual  and  Po- 
litical Independence.  — Resolutions  and  Speeches.  — Singular  Red 
Patches  on  the  Surface  of  the  Sea. 


April  2 d,  1865.  — Our  first  Sunday  at  sea.  The  weather 
is  delicious,  the  ship  as  steady  as  anything  on  the  water 
can  be,  and  even  the  most  forlorn  of  our  party  have  little 
excuse  for  sea-sickness.  We  have  had  service  from  Bishop 
Potter  this  morning,  and  since  then  we  have  been  on  deck 
reading,  walking,  watching  a singular  cloud,  which  the 
captain  says  is  a cloud  of  smoke,  in  the  direction  of  Pe- 
tersburg. We  think  it  may  be  the  smoke  of  a great  deci- 
1 


2 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


sive  engagement  going  on  while  we  sail  peacefully  along. 
What  it  means,  or  how  the  battle  ends,  if  battle  it  be,  we 
shall  not  know  for  two  months  perhaps.*  Mr.  Agassiz  is 
busy  to-day  in  taking  notes,  at  regular  intervals,  of  the 
temperature  of  the  water,  as  we  approach  the  Gulf  Stream. 
To-night  we  cut  it  at  right  angles,  and  he  will  remain  on 
deck  to  continue  his  observations. 

April  3 d.  — The  Professor  sat  up  last  night  as  he  in- 
tended, and  found  his  watch,  which  was  shared  by  one  or 
two  of  his  young  assistants,  very  interesting.  We  crossed 
the  Gulf  Stream  opposite  Cape  Hatteras,  at  a latitude  where 
it  is  comparatively  narrow,  some  sixty  miles  only  in  breadth. 
Entering  it  at  about  six  o’clock,  we  passed  out  of  it  a 
little  after  midnight.  The  western  boundary  of  the  warm 
waters  stretching  along  the  coast  had  a temperature  of 
about  57°.  Immediately  after  entering  it,  the  temperature 
began  to  rise  gradually,  the  maximum  being  about  74°, 
falling  occasionally,  however,  when  we  passed  through  a 
cold  streak,  to  68°.  These  cold  streaks  in  the  Gulf  Stream, 
which  reach  to  a considerable  depth,  the  warm  and  cold 
waters  descending  together  in  immediate  contact  for  at 
least  a hundred  fathoms,  are  attributed  by  Dr.  Bache  to 
the  fact  that  the  Gulf  Stream  is  not  stationary.  It  sways 
as  a whole  sometimes  a little  toward  the  shore,  sometimes 
a little  away  from  it,  and,  in  consequence  of  this,  the 
colder  water  from  the  coast  creeps  in,  forming  these  verti- 
cal layers  in  its  midst.  The  eastern  boundary  is  warmer 

* On  the  17th  of  May,  nearly  a month  after  our  arrival  in  Rio,  this  cloud 
was  interpreted  to  us.  It  was,  indeed,  charged  with  the  issues  of  life  and  death, 
for  it  was  on  this  day  and  the  following  that  the  final  assaults  on  Petersburg 
were  made,  and  the  cloud  which  marred  an  otherwise  stainless  sky,  as  we  were 
passing  along  the  shores  of  Virginia,  was,  no  doubt,  the  mass  of  smoke  gath- 
ered above  the  opposing  lines  of  the  two  armies. 


VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


3 


than  the  western  one,  for  the  latter  is  chilled  by  the  Arctic 
currents,  which  form  a band  of  cold  water  all  along  the 
Atlantic  shore.  Their  influence  is  felt  nearly  to  the  lati- 
tude of  Florida.  On  coming  out  of  the  Gulf  Stream  the 
temperature  of  the  water  was  68°,  and  so  it  continued  for 
an  hour  longer,  after  which  Mr.  Agassiz  ceased  his  obser- 
vations. To-day  some  of  the  gulf-weed  was  gathered  by  a 
sailor,  and  we  found  it  crowded  with  life.  Hydroids,  in 
numbers,  had  their  home  upon  it ; the  delicate  branching 
plumularia  and  a pretty  campanularia,  very  like  some  of 
our  New  England  species  ; beside  these,  bryozoa,  tiny  com- 
pound mollusks,  crusted  its  stem,  and  barnacles  were  abun- 
dant upon  it.  These  are  all  the  wonders  that  the  deep  has 
yielded  us  to-day,  though  the  pretty  Portuguese  men-of-war 
go  floating  by  the  vessel,  out  of  reach  thus  far.  Such  are 
the  events  of  our  life : we  eat  and  drink  and  sleep,  read, 
study  Portuguese,  and  write  up  our  journals. 

April  Ath.  — It  has  occurred  to  Mr.  Agassiz,  as  a means 
of  preparing  the  young  men  who  accompany  him  for  the 
work  before  them,  to  give  a course  of  lectures  on  ship- 
board. Some  preparation  of  the  kind  is  the  more  necessary, 
since  much  of  the  work  must  be  done  independently  of 
him,  as  it  will  be  impossible  for  so  large  a party  to  travel 
together ; and  the  instructions  needed  will  be  more  easily 
given  in  a daily  lecture  to  all,  than  in  separate  conversa- 
tions with  each  one  singly.  The  idea  finds  general  favor. 
The  large  saloon  makes  an  excellent  lecture-room  ; a couple 
of  leaves  from  the  dining-table  with  a black  oil-cloth 
stretched  across  them  serve  as  a blackboard.  The  audi- 
ence consists,  not  only  of  our  own  company,  but  includes 
the  few  ladies  who  are  on  board,  Mr.  Bradbury,  the  captain 
of  our  steamer,  Bishop  Potter,  some  of  the  ship’s  officers, 


4 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


and  a few  additional  passengers,  all  of  whom  seem  to  think 
the  lecture  a pleasant  break  in  the  monotony  of  a sea  voy- 
age. To-day  the  subject  was  naturally  suggested  by  the  sea- 
weeds of  the  Gulf  Stream,  so  recently  caught  and  so  crowded 
with  life,  — “ A lecture  on  the  Gulf  Stream  in  the  Gulf 
Stream,”  as  one  of  the  listeners  suggests.  It  was  opened, 
however,  by  a few  words  on  the  exceptional  character  of  the 
position  of  this  scientific  commission  on  board  the  Colorado. 

“ Fifty  years  ago,  when  naturalists  carried  their  investiga- 
tions to  distant  lands,  either  government  was  obliged  to  pro- 
vide an  expensive  outfit  for  them,  or,  if  they  had  no  such 
patronage,  scanty  opportunities  grudgingly  given  might  be 
granted  them  on  ordinary  conveyances.  Even  if  such  ac- 
commodation were  allowed  them,  their  presence  was  looked 
upon  as  a nuisance : no  general  interest  was  felt  in  their 
objects  ; it  was  much  if  they  were  permitted,  on  board  some 
vessel,  to  have  their  bucket  of  specimens  in  a corner,  which 
any  sailor  might  kick  over,  unreproved,  if  it  chanced  to  stand 
in  his  way.  This  ship,  and  the  spirit  prevailing  in  her  com- 
mand, opens  to  me  a vista  such  as  I never  dreamed  of  till  I 
stood  upon  her  deck.  Here,  in  place  of  the  meagre  chances 
I remember  in  old  times,  the  facilities  could  hardly  be  greater 
if  the  ship  had  been  built  as  a scientific  laboratory.  If  any 
such  occasion  has  ever  been  known  before,  if  any  naturalist 
has  ever  been  treated  with  such  consideration,  and  found 
such  intelligent  appreciation  of  his  highest  aims,  on  board 
a merchant-ship  fitted  up  for  purposes  of  trade,  I am  not 
aware  of  it.  I hope  the  first  trip  of  the  Colorado  will  be  re- 
membered in  the  annals  of  science.  I,  at  least,  shall  know 
whom  to  thank  for  an  opportunity  so  unique.  This  voyage, 
and  the  circumstances  connected  with  it,  are,  to  me,  the 
signs  of  a good  time  coming ; when  men  of  different  inter- 


VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


5 


ests  will  help  each  other;  when  naturalists  will  be  more 
liberal  and  sailors  more  cultivated,  and  natural  science  and 
navigation  will  work  hand  in  hand.  And  now  for  my 
lecture,  — my  first  lecture  on  ship-board.” 

The  lecture  was  given,  of  course,  specimen  in  hand,  the 
various  inhabitants  of  the  branch  of  sea-weed  giving  their 
evidence  in  succession  of  their  own  structure  and  way  of 
life.  To  these  living  illustrations  were  added  drawings  on 
the  blackboard  to  show  the  transformations  of  the  animals, 
their  embryological  history,  &c.*  Since  the  lecture,  Captain 
Bradbury  has  fitted  up  a large  tank  as  an  aquarium,  where 
any  specimens  taken  during  the  voyage  may  be  preserved 
and  examined.  Mr.  Agassiz  is  perfectly  happy,  enjoying 
every  hour  of  the  voyage,  as  well  he  may,  surrounded  as 
he  is  with  such  considerate  kindness. 

April  6th.  — Though  I took  notes,  as  usual,  of  the  lecture 
yesterday,  I had  not  energy  enough  to  enter  them  in  my 
journal.  The  subject  was  the  Gulf  Stream,  — the  stream 
itself  this  time,  not  the  animals  it  carries  along  with  it. 
Mr.  Agassiz’s  late  observations,  though  deeply  interesting  to 
himself,,  inasmuch  as  personal  confirmation  of  facts  already 
known  is  always  satisfactory,  have  nothing  novel  nowa- 
days ; yet  the  history  of  the  facts  connected  with  the  dis- 
covery of  the  Gulf  Stream,  and  their  gradual  development, 
is  always  attractive,  and  especially  so  to  Americans,  on  ac- 
count of  its  direct  connection  with  scientific  investigations 

* The  species  of  Hydroids  most  numerous  upon  the  gulf-weed  have  not  yet 
been  described,  and  would  form  a valuable  addition  to  the  Natural  History  of 
the  Acalephs.  For  an  account  of  the  animals  of  this  class  inhabiting  the  Atlan- 
tic coast  of  North  America,  and  especially  the  New  England  shores,  I may  refer 
to  the  third  volume  of  my  Contributions  to  the  Natural  History  of  the  Uni^d 
States,  and  to  the  second  number  of  the  Illustrated  Catalogue  of  the  Museum 
of  Comparative  Zoology  at  Cambridge.  — L.  A. 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


carried  on  under  our  government.  Mr.  Agassiz  gave  a slight 
sketch  of  this  in  opening  his  lecture.  “ It  was  Franklin 
who  first  systematically  observed  these  facts,  though  they 
had  been  noticed  long  before  by  navigators.  He  recorded 
the  temperature  of  the  water  as  he  left  the  American  con- 
tinent for  Europe,  and  found  that  it  continued  cold  for 
a certain  distance,  then  rose  suddenly,  and  after  a given 
time  sank  again  to  a lower  temperature,  though  not  so  low 
as  before.  With  the  comprehensive  grasp  of  mind  charac- 
teristic of  all  his  scientific  results,  he  went  at  once  beyond 
his  facts.  He  inferred  that  the  warm  current,  keeping  its 
way  so  steadily  through  the  broad  Atlantic,  and  carrying 
tropical  productions  to  the  northern  shores  of  Europe,  must 
take  its  rise  in  tropical  regions,  must  be  heated  by  a tropical 
sun.*  This  was  his  inference  : to  work  it  out,  to  ascertain 
the  origin  and  course  of  the  Gulf  Stream,  has  been,  in  a 
great  degree,  the  task  of  the  United  States  Coast  Survey, 
under  the  direction  of  his  descendant,  T)r.  Bache.”  f 

* “ This  stream,”  he  writes,  “ is  probably  generated  by  the  great  accumu- 
lation of  water  on  the  eastern  coast  of  America,  between  the  tropics,  by  the 
trade-winds  which  constantly  blow  there.”  These  views,  though  vaguely 
hinted  at  by  old  Spanish  navigators,  were  first  distinctly  set  forth  by  Frank- 
lin, and,  as  is  stated  in  a recent  printed  reDort  of  the  Coast  Survey  Explo- 
rations, “ they  receive  confirmation  from  every  discovery  which  the  advance  of 
scientific  research  brings  to  aid  in  the  solution  of  the  great  problem  of  oceanic 
circulation.” 

t No  one  can  read  the  account  of  the  explorations  undertaken  by  the 
Coast  Survey  in  the  Gulf  Stream,  and  continued  during' a number  of  successive 
years,  and  the  instructions  received  by  the  officers  thus  employed  from  the 
Superintendent,  Dr.  A.  D.  Bache,  without  feeling  how  comprehensive,  keen, 
and  persevering  was  the  intellect  which  has  long  presided  over  this  department 
of  our  public  works.  The  result  is  a very  thorough  survey  of  the  stream,  es- 
pecially along  the  coast  of  our  own  continent,  with  sections  giving  the  temper- 
ature to  a great  depth,  the  relations  of  the  cold  and  warm  streaks,  the  form  of 
the  ocean  bottom,  as  well  as  various  other  details  respecting  the  direction  and 


VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


7 


We  are  now  fairly  in  the  tropics.  “ The  trades’’  blow 
heavily,  and  yesterday  was  a dreary  day  for  those  unused  to 
the  ocean ; the  beautiful  blue  water,  of  a peculiar  metallic 
tint,  as  remarkable  in  color,  it  seemed  to  me,  as  the  water 
of  the  Lake  of  Geneva,  did  not  console  us  for  the  heavy 
moral  and  physical  depression  of  sea-sick  mortals.  To-day 
the  world  looks  brighter ; there  is  a good  deal  of  motion, 
but  we  are  more  accustomed  to  it.  This  morning  the  lec- 
ture had,  for  the  first  time,  a direct  bearing  upon  the  work 
of  the  expedition.  The  subject  was,  “ How  to  observe, 
and  what  are  the  objects  of  scientific  explorations  in  mod- 
ern times.” 

“ My  companions  and  myself  have  come  together  so  sud- 
denly and  so  unexpectedly  on  our  present  errand,  that  we 
have  had  little  time  to  organize  our  work.  The  laying  out 
of  a general  scheme  of  operations  is,  therefore,  the  first  and 
one  of  the  most  important  points  to  be  discussed  between 
us.  The  time  for  great  discoveries  is  passed.  No  student 
of  nature  goes  out  now  expecting  to  find  a new  world,  or 
looks  in  the  heavens  for  any  new  theory  of  the  solar  system. 
The  work  of  the  naturalist,  in  our  day,  is  to  explore  worlds 
the  existence  of  which  is  already  known ; to  investigate, 
not  to  discover.  The  first  explorers,  in  this  modern  sense, 
were  Humboldt  in  the  physical  world,  Cuvier  in  natural 
history,  Lavoisier  in  chemistry,  La  Place  in  astronomy. 
They  have  been  the  pioneers  in  the  kind  of  scientific  work 
characteristic  of  our  century.  We  who  have  chosen  Brazil 
as  our  field  must  seek  to  make  ourselves  familiar  with  its 
physical  features,  its  mountains  and  its  rivers,  its  animals 
and  plants.  There  is  a change,  however,  to  be  introduced 

force  of  the  current,  the  den  sit  j and  color  of  the  water,  and  the  animal  and 
vegetable  productions  contained  in  it.  (See  Appendix  No.  I.)  — L.  A. 


8 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


in  our  mode  of  work,  as  compared  with  that  of  former 
investigators.  When  less  was  known  of  animals  and  plants 
the  discovery  of  new  species  was  the  great  object.  This 
has  been  carried  too  far,  and  is  now  almost  the  lowest  kind 
of  scientific  work.  The  discovery  of  a new  species  as  such 
does  not  change  a feature  in  the  science  of  natural  history, 
any  more  than  the  discovery  of  a new  asteroid  changes 
the  character  of  the  problems  to  be  investigated  by  astrono- 
mers. It  is  merely  adding  to  the  enumeration  of  objects. 
We  should  look  rather  for  the  fundamental  relations  among 
animals  ; the  number  of  species  we  may  find  is  of  impor- 
tance only  so  far  as  they  explain  the  distribution  and  lim- 
itation of  different  genera  and  families,  their  relations  to 
each  other  and  to  the  physical  conditions  under  which  they 
live.  Out  of  such  investigations  there  looms  up  a deeper 
question  for  scientific  men,  the  solution  of  which  is  to  be 
the  most  important  result  of  their  work  in  coming  genera- 
tions. The  origin  of  life  is  the  great  question  of  the  day. 
How  did  the  organic  world  come  to  be  as  it  is  ? It  must 
be  our  aim  to  throw  some  light  on  this  subject  by  our  pres- 
ent journey.  How  did  Brazil  come  to  be  inhabited  by  the 
animals  and  plants  now  living  there  ? Who  were  its  inhab- 
itants in  past  times  ? What  reason  is  there  to  believe  that 
the  present  condition  of  things  in  this  country  is  in  any 
sense  derived  from  the  past  ? The  first  step  in  this  investi- 
gation must  be  to  ascertain  the  geographical  distribution 
of  the  present  animals  and  plants.  Suppose  we  first  ex- 
amine the  Bio  San  Francisco.  The  basin  of  this  river  is 
entirely  isolated.  Are  its  inhabitants,  like  its  waters,  com- 
pletely distinct  from  those  of  other  basins  ? Are  its  species 
peculiar  to  itself,  and  not  repeated  in  any  other  river  of 
the  continent?  Extraordinary  as  this  result  would  seem, 


VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


9 


I nevertheless  expect  to  find  it  so.  The  next  water-basin 
we  shall  have  to  examine  will  be  that  of  the  Amazons, 
which  connects  through  the  Rio  Negro  with  the  Orinoco. 
It  has  been  frequently  repeated  that  the  same  species  of 
fish  exist  in  the  waters  of  the  San  Francisco  and  in  those 
of  Guiana  and  of  the  Amazons.  At  all  events,  our  works 
on  fishes  constantly  indicate  Brazil  and  Guiana  as  the 
common  home  of  many  species  ; but  this  observation  has 
never  been  made  with  sufficient  accuracy  to  merit  confi- 
dence. Fifty  years  ago  the  exact  locality  from  which 
any  animal  came  seemed  an  unimportant  fact  in  its  sci- 
entific history,  for  the  bearing  of  this  question  on  that 
of  origin  was  not  then  perceived.  To  say  that  any  speci- 
men came  from  South  America  was  quite  enough ; to 
specify  that  it  came  from  Brazil,  from  the  Amazons,  the 
San  Francisco,  or  the  La  Plata,  seemed  a marvellous  accu- 
racy in  the  observers.  In  the  museum  at  Paris,  for  instance, 
there  are  many  specimens  entered  as  coming  from  New 
York  or  from  Par 4 ; but  all  that  is  absolutely  known  about 
them  is  that  they  were  shipped  from  those  sea-ports.  Nobody 
knows  exactly  where  they  were  collected.  So  there  are 
specimens  entered  as  coming  from  the  Rio  San  Francisco, 
but  it  is  by  no  means  sure  that  they  came  exclusively  from 
that  water-basin.  All  this  kind  of  investigation  is  far  too 
loose  for  our  present  object.  Our  work  must  be  done  with 
much  more  precision  ; it  must  tell  something  positive  of 
the  geographical  distribution  of  animals  in  Brazil.  There- 
fore, my  young  friends  who  come  with  me'  on  this  expedi- 
tion, let  us  be  careful  that  every  specimen  has  a label, 
recording  locality  and  date,  so  secured  that  it  shall  reach 
Cambridge  safely.  It  would  be  still  better  to  attach  two 
labels  to  each  specimen,  so  that,  if  any  mischance  happens 


10 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


to  one,  our  lecord  may  not  be  lost.  We  must  try  not  to 
mix  the  fishes  of  different  rivers,  even  though  they  flow 
into  each  other,  but  to  keep  our  collections  perfectly  dis- 
tinct. You  will  easily  see  the  vast  importance  of  thus 
ascertaining  the  limitation  of  species,  and  the  V.aring  of 
the  result  on  the  great  question  of  origin. 

“ Something  is  already  known.  It  is  ascertained  that 
the  South  American  rivers  possess  some  fishes  peculiar  to 
them.  Were  these  fishes  then  created  in  these  separate 
water-systems  as  they  now  exist,  or  have  they  been  trans- 
ferred thither  from  some  other  water-bed  ? If  not  born 
there,  how  did  they  come  there  ? Is  there,  or  has  there 
ever  been,  any  possible  connection  between  these  water-sys- 
tems ? Are  their  characteristic  species  repeated  elsewhere  ? 
Thus  we  narrow  the  boundaries  of  the  investigation,  and 
bring  it,  by  successive  approaches,  nearer  the  ultimate 
question.  But  the  first  inquiry  is,  How  far  are  species 
distinct  all  over  the  world,  and  what  are  their  limits  ? Till 
this  is  ascertained,  all  theories  about  their  origin,  their 
derivation  from  one  another,  their  successive  transforma- 
tion, their  migration  from  given  centres,  and  so  on,  are 
mere  beating  about  the  bush.  I allude  especially  to  the 
fresh-water  fishes,  in  connection  with  this  investigation, 
on  account  of  the  precision  of  . their  boundaries.  Looking 
at  the  matter  theoretically,  without  a positive  investigation, 
I do  not  expect  to  find  a single  species  of  the  Lower  Amazons 
above  Tabatinga.*  I base  this  supposition  upon  my  own  ob- 

* This  anticipation  was  more  than  confirmed  by  the  result  of  the  journey.  It 
is  true  that  Mr.  Agassiz  did  not  go  beyond  the  Peruvian  frontier,  and  therefore 
could  not  verify  his  prophecy  in  that  region.  But  he  found  the  localization  of 
species  in  the  Amazons  circumscribed  within  much  narrower  limits  than  he  ex- 
pected, the  whole  length  of  the  great  stream,  as  well  as  its  tributaries,  being 
broken  up  into  numerous  distinct  faunae.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  what  is 


VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


11 


seivations  respecting  the  distribution  of  species  in  the  Euro- 
pean rivers.  I have  found  that,  while  some  species  occur 
simultaneously  in  the  many  upper  water-courses  which  com- 
bine to  form  the  Rhine,  the  Rhone,  and  the  Danube,  most 
of  them  are  not  found  in  the  lower  course  of  these  rivers  ; 
that,  again,  certain  species  are  found  in  two  of  these  water- 
basins  and  do  not  occur  in  the  third,  or  inhabit  only  one 
and  are  not  to  be  met  in  the  two  others.  The  brook  trout, 
for  instance  QSalmo  Fario ),  is  common  to  the  upper  course 
and  the  higher  tributaries  of  all  the  three  river-systems, 
but  does  not  inhabit  the  main  bed  of  their  lower  course. 
So  it  is,  also,  and  in  a more  striking  degree,  with  the  Salm- 
ling  ( Salmo  Salvelinus) . The  Huchen  .( Salmo  Hucho)  is 
only  found  in  the  Danube.  But  the  distribution  of  the 
perch  family  in  these  rivers  is,  perhaps,  the  most  remark- 
able. The  Zingel  (Aspro  Zingel ) and  the  Schraetzer  (icm- 
na  Schrcetzer ) are  only  found  in  the  Danube  ; while  Acerina 
cernua  is  found  in  the  Danube  as  well  as  in  the  Rhine, 
but  not  in  the  Rhone  ; and  Aspro  asper  in  the  Danube  as 
well  as  in  the  Rhone,  but  not  in  the  Rhine.  The  Sander 
( Lucioperca  Sandra ) is  found  in  the  Danube  and  the  other 
large  rivers  of  Eastern  Europe,  but  occurs  neither  in  the 
Rhine  nor  in  the  Rhone.  The  common  perch  ( Perea  flu- 
viatilis),  on  the  contrary,  is  found  both  in  the  Rhine  and 
Rhone,  but  not  in  the  Danube,  which,  however,  nourishes 
another  species  of  true  Perea,  already  described  by  Schaeffer 
as  Perea  vulgaris.  Again,  the  pickerel  (JEsox  Lucius')  is 
common  to  all  these  rivers,  especially  in  their  lower  course, 
and  so  is  also  the  cusk  ( Lota  vulgaris).  The  special  dis- 

true  for  nearly  three  thousand  miles  of  its  course  is  true  also  for  the  head-waters 
of  the  Amazons ; indeed,  other  investigators  have  already  described  some  spe- 
cies from  its  higher  tributaries  differing  entirely  from  those  collected  upon  this 
expedition. 


12 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


tribution  of  the  carp  family  would  afford  many  other 
striking  examples,  but  they  are  too  numerous  and  too  little 
known  to  be  used  as  an  illustration  here. 

“ This  is  among  the  most  remarkable  instances  of  what 
1 would  call  the  arbitrary  character  of  geographical  dis- 
tribution. Such  facts  cannot  be  explained  by  any  theory 
of  accidental  dispersion,  for  the  upper  mountain  rivulets, 
in  which  these  great  rivers  take  their  rise,  have  no  con- 
nection with  each  other  ; nor  can  any  local  circumstance 
explain  the  presence  of  some  species  in  all  the  three  basins, 
while  others  appear  only  in  one,  or  perhaps  in  two,  and  are 
absent  from  the  third,  or  the  fact  that  certain  species 
inhabiting  the  head-waters  of  these  streams  are  never  found 
in  their  lower  course  when  the  descent  would  seem  so 
natural  and  so  easy.  In  the  absence  of  any  positive  ex- 
planation, we  are  left  to  assume  that  the  distribution  of  ani- 
mal life  has  primary  laws  as  definite’ and  precise  as  those 
which  govern  anything  else  in  the  system  of  the  universe. 

“ It  is  for  the  sake  of  investigations  of  this  kind  that 
I wish  our  party  to  divide,  in  order  that  we  may  cover  as 
wide  a ground  as  possible,  and  compare  a greater  number 
of  the  water-basins  of  Brazil.  I wish  the  same  to  be  done, 
as  far  as  may  be,  for  all  the  classes  of  Vertebrates,  as 
well  as  for  Mollusks,  Articulates,  and  Radiates.  As  we 
have  no  special  botanist  in  the  party,  we  must  be  content 
to  make  a methodical  collection  of  the  most  characteristic 
families  of  trees,  such  as  the  palms  and  tree  ferns.  A col- 
lection of  the  stems  of  these  trees  would  be  especially 
important  as  a guide  to  the  identification  of  fossil  woods. 
Much  more  is  known  of  the  geographical  distribution  of 
plants  than  of  animals,  however,  and  there  is,  therefore, 
less  to  be  done  that  is  new  in  that  direction. 


VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


13 


“ Our  next  aim,  and  with  the  same  object,  namely,  its 
bearing  upon  the  question  of  origin,  will  be  the  study  of  the 
young,  the  collecting  of  eggs  and  embryos.  This  is  the 
more  important,  since  museums  generally  show  only  adult 
specimens.  As  far  as  I know,  the  Zoological  Museum  at 
Cambridge  is  the  only  one  containing  large  collections  of 
embryological  specimens  from  all  the  classes  of  the  ani- 
mal kingdom.  One  significant  fact,  however,  is  already 
known.  In  their  earliest  stages  of  growth  all  animals  of 
the  same  class  are  much  more  alike  than  in  their  adult 
condition,  and  sometimes  so  nearly  alike  as  hardly  to.be 
distinguished.  Indeed,  there  is  an  early  period  when  the 
resemblances  greatly  outweigh  the  differences.  How  far 
the  representatives  of  different  classes  resemble  one  another 
remains  to  be  ascertained  with  precision.  There  are  two 
possible  interpretations  of  these  facts.  One  is  that  animals 
so  nearly  identical  in  the  beginning  must  have  been  origi- 
nally derived  from  one  germ,  and  are  but  modifications  or 
transmutations,  under  various  physical  conditions,  of  this 
primitive  unit.  The  other  interpretation,  founded  on  the 
same  facts,  is,  that  since,  notwithstanding  this  material  iden- 
tity in  the  beginning,  no  germ  ever  grows  to  be  different 
from  its  parent,  or  diverges  from  the  pattern  imposed  upon 
it  at  its  birth,  therefore  some  other  cause  besides  a material 
one  must  control  its  development ; and  if  this  be  so,  we  have 
to  seek  an  explanation  of  the  differences  between  animals 
outside  of  physical  influences.  Thus  far  both  these  views 
rest  chiefly  upon  personal  convictions  and  opinions.  The 
true  solution  of  the  problem  must  be  sought  in  the  study 
of  the  development  of  the  animals  themselves,  and  embry- 
ology is  still  in  its  infancy  ; for,  though  a very  complete 
study  of  the  embryology  of  a few  animals  has  been  made, 


14 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


yet  these  investigations  include  so  small  a number  of  repre- 
sentatives from  the  different  classes  of  the  animal  kingdom 
that  they  do  not  yet  give  a basis  for  broad  generalizations. 
Very  little  is  known  of  the  earlier  stages  in  the  formation 
of  hosts  of  insects  whose  later  metamorphoses,  including 
the  change  of  the  already  advanced  larva,  first  to  the  con- 
dition of  a chrysalis  and  then  to  that  of  a perfect  insect, 
have  been  carefully  traced.  It  remains  to  be  ascertained 
to  what  extent  the  caterpillars  of  different  kinds  of  butter- 
flies, for  instance,  resemble  one  another  during  the  time  of 
their  formation  in  the  egg.  An  immense  field  of  observa- 
tion is  open  in  this  order  alone. 

“ I have,  myself,  examined  over  one  hundred  species 
of  bird  embryos,  now  put  up  in  the  museum  of  Cambridge, 
and  found  that,  at  a certain  age,  they  all  have  bills,  wings, 
legs,  feet,  &c.,  &c.  exactly  alike.  The  young  robin  and 
the  young  crow  are  web-footed,  as  well  as  the  duck.  It  is 
only  later  that  the  fingers  of  the  foot  become  distinct. 
How  very  interesting  it  will  be  to  continue  this  investiga- 
tion among  the  tropical  birds  ! — to  see  whether,  for  instance, 
the  toucan,  with  its  gigantic  bill,  has,  at  a certain  age,  a 
bill  like  that  of  all  other  birds  ; whether  the  spoonbill  ibis 
has,  at  the  same  age,  nothing  characteristic  in  the  shape 
of  its  bill.  No  living  naturalist  could  now  tell  you  one 
word  about  all  this ; neither  could  he  give  you  any  infor- 
mation about  corresponding  facts  in  the  growth  of  the 
fishes,  reptiles,  or  quadrupeds  of  Brazil,  not  one  of  the 
young  of  these  animals  having  ever  been  compared  with 
the  adult.  In  these  lectures  I only  aim  at  showing  you 
what  an  extensive  and  interesting  field  of  investigation 
opens  before  us ; if  we  succeed  in  cultivating  even  a few 
corners  of  it  we  shall  be  fortunate.” 


VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


15 


In  the  evening,  which  is  always  the  most  enjoyable  part 
of  our  day,  we  sat  on  the  guards  and  watched  the  first  tropi- 
cal sunset  we  had  yet  seen.  The  sun  went  down  in  purple 
and  gold,  and,  after  its  departure,  sent  back  a glow  that 
crimsoned  the  clouds  almost  to  the  zenith,  dying  off  to 
paler  rose  tints  on  the  edges,  while  heavy  masses  of  gray 
vapor,  just  beginning  to  be  silvered  by  the  moon,  swept 
up  from  the  south. 

April  1th.  — To-day  the  lecture  was  upon  the  physical 
features  of  South  America,  something  with  reference  to 
the  geological  and  geographical  work  in  which  Mr.  Agassiz 
hopes  to  have  efficient  aid  from  his  younger  assistants. 
So  much  of  the  lecture  consisted  of  explanations  given 
upon  geological  maps  that  it  is  difficult  to  record  it.  Its 
principal  object,  however,  was  to  show  in  what  direction 
they  should  work  in  order  to  give  greater  precision  to  the 
general  information  already  secured  respecting  the  forma- 
tion of  the  continent.  u The  basin  of  the  Amazons,  for 
instance,  is  a level  plain.  The  whole  of  it  is  covered 
with  loose  materials.  We  must  watch  carefully  the  char- 
acter of  these  loose  materials,  and  try  to  track  them  to 
their  origin.  As  there  are  very  characteristic  rocks  in 
various  parts  of  this  plain,  we  shall  have  a clew  to  the 
nature  of  at  least  some  portion  of  these  materials.  My 
own  previous  studies  have  given  me  a special  interest  in 
certain  questions  connected  with  these  facts.  What  power 
has  ground  up  these  loose  materials  ? Are  they  the  result 
of  disintegration  of  the  rock  by  ordinary  atmospheric 
agents,  or  are  they  caused  by  the  action  of  water,  or  by 
that  of  glaciers  ? Was  there  ever  a time  when  large  masses 
of  ice  descended  far  lower  than  the  present  snow  line  of 
the  Andes,  and,  moving  over  the  low  lands,  ground  these 


16 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


materials  to  powder  ? We  know  that  such  an  agency  has 
been  at  work  on  the  northern  half  of  this  hemisphere.  We 
have  now  to  look  for  its  traces  on  the  southern  half,  where 
no  such  investigations  have  ever  been  made  within  its  warm 
latitudes ; though  to  Darwin  science  is  already  indebted  for 
much  valuable  information  concerning  the  glacial  phenomena 
of  the  temperate  and  colder  portions  of  the  South  American 
continent.  We  should  examine  the  loose  materials  in  every 
river  we  ascend,  and  see  what  relation  they  bear  to  the  dry 
land  above.  The  color  of  the  water  in  connection  with  the 
nature  of  the  banks  will  tell  us  something.  The  waters  of 
the  Rio  Branco,  for  instance,  are  said  to  be  milky  white  ; 
those  of  the  Rio  Negro,*  black.  In  the  latter  case  the  color 
is  probably  owing  to  the  decomposition  of  vegetation.  I 
would  advise  each  one  of  our  parties  to  pass  a large  amount 
of  water  from  any  river  or  stream  along  which  they  travel 
through  a filter,  and  to  examine  the  deposit  microscopically. 
They  will  thus  ascertain  the  character  of  the  detritus, 
whether  from  sand,  or  lime,  or  granite,  or  mere  river  mud 
formed  by  the  decomposition  of  organic  matter.  Even  the 
smaller  streams  and  rivulets  will  have  their  peculiar  char- 
acter. The  Brazilian  table-land  rises  to  a broad  ridge 
running  from  west  to  east,  and  determining  the  direction 
of  the  rivers.  It  is  usually  represented  as  a mountain 
range,  but  is  in  fact  nothing  but  a high  flat  ridge  serving  as 
a water-shed,  and  cut  transversely  by  deep  fissures  in  which 
the  rivers  flow.  These  fissures  are  broad  in  their  lower 
parts,  but  little  is  known  of  their  upper  range ; and  whoever 
will  examine  their  banks  carefully  will  do  an  important 
work  for  science.  Indeed,  very  little  is  known  accurately 
of  the  geology  of  Brazil.  On  the  geological  maps  almost 
the  whole  country  is  represented  as  consisting  of  granite. 


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17 


If  this  be  correct,  it  is  very  inconsistent  with  what  we  know 
of  the  geological  structure  of  other  continents,  where  the 
stratified  rocks  are  in  much  larger  proportions.” 

Upon  this  followed  some  account  of  the  different  kinds  of 
valley  formation  and  of  terraces.  “ Do  the  old  terraces 
above  the  rivers  of  South  America  correspond  to  the  river 
terraces  on  any  of  our  rivers,  — those  of  the  Connecticut, 
for  instance,  — showing  that  their  waters  had  formerly  a 
much  greater  depth  and  covered  a much  wider  bottom  ? 
There  must  of  course  have  been  a cause  for  this  great 
accumulation  of  water  in  ancient  periods.  I account  for  it 
in  the  northern  half  of  the  hemisphere  by  the  melting  of 
vast  masses  of  ice  in  the  glacial  period,  causing  immense 
freshets.  There  is  no  trustworthy  account  of  the  river 
terraces  in  Brazil.  Bates,  however,  describes  flat-topped 
hills  between  Santarem  and  Para  in  the  narrow  part  of  the 
valley,  near  Almeyrim,  rising  800  feet  above  the  present 
level  of  the  Amazons.  If  this  part  of  the  valley  were 
flooded  in  old  times,  banks  might  have  been  formed  of  which 
these  hills  are  a remnant.  But  because  such  a theory 
might  account  for  the  facts  it  does  not  follow  that  the 
theory  is  true.  Our  work  must  be  to  study  the  facts,  to 
see,  among  other  things,  of  what  these  hills  are  built, 
whether  of  rock  or  of  loose  materials.  No  one  has  told 
us  anything  as  yet  of  their  geological  constitution.”  * 

To-day  we  have  seen  numbers  of  flying-fish  from  the 
deck,  and  were  astonished  at  the  grace  and  beauty  of  their 
motion,  which  we  had  supposed  to  be  rather  a leap  than 
actual  flight.  And  flight  indeed  it  is  not,  their  pectoral 

* Mr.  Agassiz  afterward  visited  these  hills  himself,  and  an  account  of  their 
structure  and  probable  origin  will  be  found  in  the  chapter  on  the  physical 
history  of  the  Amazons. 

2 


18 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


fins  acting  as  sails  rather  than  wings,  and  carrying  them 
along  on  the  wind.  They  skim  over  the  water  in  this  way 
to  a great  distance.  Captain  Bradbury  told  us  he  had 
followed  one  with  his  glass  and  lost  sight  of  it  at  a consider- 
able distance,  without  seeing  it  dip  into  the  water  again. 
Mr.  Agassiz  has  great  delight  in  watching  them.*  Having 
never  before  sailed  in  tropical  seas,  he  enjoys  every  day  some 
new  pleasure. 

April  9th.  — Yesterday  Mr.  Agassiz  lectured  upon  the 
traces  of  glaciers  as  they  exist  in  the  northern  hemisphere, 
and  the  signs  of  the  same  kind  to  be  sought  for  in  Brazil. 
After  a sketch  of  what  has  been  done  in  glacial  investigation  in 
Europe  and  the  United  States,  showing  the  great  extension  of 
ice  over  these  regions  in  ancient  times,  he  continued  as  fol- 
lows : “ When  the  polar  half  of  both  hemispheres  was  covered 
by  such  an  ice  shroud,  the  climate  of  the  whole  earth  must 
have  been  different  from  what  it  is  now.  The  limits  of  the 
ancient  glaciers  give  us  some  estimate  of  this  difference, 
though  of  course  only  an  approximate  one.  A degree  of 
temperature  in  the  annual  average  of  any  given  locality 
corresponds  to  a degree  of  latitude  ; that  is,  a degree  of 
temperature  is  lost  for  every  degree  of  latitude  as  we  travel 
northward,  or  gained  for  every  degree  of  latitude  as  we  travel 
southward.  In  our  times,  the  line  at  which  the  average 
annual  temperature  is  82°,  that  is,  at  which  glaciers  may  be 
formed,  is  in  latitude  60°  or  thereabouts,  the  latitude  of 
Greenland  ; while  the  height  at  which  they  may  originate  in 
latitude  45°  is  about  6,000  feet.  If  it  appear  that  the  ancient 
southern  limit  of  glaciers  is  in  latitude  36°,  we  must  admit 
that  in  those  days  the  present  climate  of  Greenland 
extended  to  that  line.  Such  a change  of  climate  with 


* See  Appendix  No.  II. 


VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


19 


reference  to  latitude  must  have  been  attended  by  a corre- 
sponding change  of  climate  witli  reference  to  altitude. 
Three  degrees  of  temperature  correspond  to  about  one 
thousand  feet  of  altitude.  If,  therefore,  it  is  found  that 
the  ancient  limit  of  glacier  action  descends  on  the  Andes, 
for  instance,  to  7,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea  under 
the  equator,  the  present  line  of  perpetual  snow  being  at 
15,000,  it  is  safe  to  infer  that  in  those  days  the  climate 
was  some  24Q  or  thereabouts  below  its  present  temperature. 
That  is,  the  temperature  of  the  present  snow  line  then  pre- 
vailed at  a height  of  7,000  feet  above  the  sea  level,  as  the 
present  average  temperature  of  Greenland  then  prevailed  in 
latitude  36°.  I am  as  confident  that  we  shall  find  these 
indications  at  about  the  limit  I have  pointed  out  as  if  I had 
already  seen  them.  I would  even  venture  to  prophesy  that 
the  first  moraines  in  the  valley  of  the  Maranon  should  be 
found  where  it  bends  eastward  above  Jaen.”  * 

Although  the  weather  is  fine,  the  motion  of  the  ship 
continues  to  be  so  great  that  those  of  us  who  have  not  what 
are  popularly  called  44  sea-legs,”  have  much  ado  to  keep  our 
balance.  For  my  own  part,  I am  beginning  to  feel  a personal 
animosity  to  44  the  trades.”  I had  imagined  them  to  be  soft, 
genial  breezes  wafting  us  gently  southward  ; instead  of 
which  they  blow  dead  ahead  all  the  time,  and  give  us  no 
rest  night  or  day.  And  yet  we  are  very  unreasonable  .to 
grumble ; for  never  were  greater  comforts  and  conveniences 

* It  proved  in  the  sequel  unnecessary  to  seek  the  glacial  phenomena  of 
tropical  South  America  in  its  highest  mountains.  In  Brazil  the  moraines  are 
as  distinct  and  as  well  preserved  in  some  of  the  coast  ranges  on  the  Atlantic 
side,  not  more  than  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred  feet  high,  as  in  any  glaciated 
localities  known  to  geologists  in  more  northern  parts  of  the  world.  The 
snow  line,  even  in  those  latitudes,  then  descended  so  low  that  masses  of  ice 
formed  above  its  level  actually  forced  their  way  down  to  the  sea-coast  — L . A. 


‘20 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


provided  for  voyagers  on  the  great  deep  than  are  to  be 
found  on  this  magnificent  ship.  The  state-rooms  large  and 
commodious,  parlor  and  dining-hall  well  ventilated,  cool,  and 
cheerful,  the  decks  long  and  broad  enough  to  give  a chance 
for  extensive  “ constitutionals  ” to  everybody  who  can  stand 
upright  for  two  minutes  together,  the  attendance  punctual 
and  admirable  in  every  respect ; in  short,  nothing  is  left  to 
be  desired  except  a little  more  stable  footing. 

April  10 th.  — A rough  sea  to-day,  notwithstanding  which 
we  had  our  lecture  as  usual,  though  I must  say,  that,  owing 
to  the  lurching  of  the  ship,  the  lecturer  pitched  about  more 
than  was  consistent  with  the  dignity  of  science.  Mr.  Agas- 
siz returned  to  the  subject  of  embryology,  urging  upon  his 
assistants  the  importance  of  collecting  materials  for  this 
object  as  a means  of  obtaining  an  insight  into  the  deeper 
relations  between  animals. 

“ Heretofore  classification  has  been  arbitrary,  inasmuch 
as  it  has  rested  mainly  upon  the  interpretation  given  to 
structural  differences  by  various  observers,  who  did  not 
measure  the  character  and  value  of  these  differences  by 
any  natural  standard.  I believe  that  we  have  a more 
certain  guide  in  these  matters  than  opinion  or  the  indi- 
vidual estimate  of  any  observer,  however  keen  his  insight 
into  structural  differences.  The  true  principle  of  classifica- 
tion exists  in  Nature  herself,  and  we  have  only  to  decipher 
it.  If  this  conviction  be  correct,  the  next  question  is, 
How  can  we  make  this  principle  a practical  one  in  our 
laboratories,  an  active  stimulus  in  our  investigations  ? Is  it 
susceptible  of  positive  demonstration  in  material  facts  ? Is 
there  any  method  to  be  adopted  as  a correct  guide,  if  we 
set  aside  the  idea  of  originating  systems  of  classification 
of  our  own,  and  seek  only  to  read  that  already  written  in 


VOYAGK  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


21 


nature  ? I answer,  Yes.  The  standard  is  to  be  found  in 
the  changes  animals  undergo  from  their  first  formation 
in  the  egg  to  their  adult  condition. 

“ It  would  be  impossible  for  me  here  and  now  to  give 
you  the  details  of  this  method  of  investigation,  but  I can 
tell  you  enough  to  illustrate  my  statement.  Take  a homely 
and  very  familiar  example,  that  of  the  branch  of  Articulates.* 
Naturalists  divide  this  branch  into  three  classes,  — Insects, 
Crustacea,  and  Worms ; and  most  of  them  tell  you  that  Worms 
are  lowest,  Crustacea  next  in  rank,  and  that  Insects  stand 
highest,  while  others  have  placed  the  Crustacea  at  the  head 
of  the  group.  We  may  well  ask  why.  Why  does  an  insect 
stand  above  a crustacean,  or,  vice  versa , why  is  a grass- 
hopper or  a butterfly  structurally  superior  to  a lobster  or  a 
shrimp  ? And  indeed  there  must  be  a difference  in  opinion 
as  to  the  respective  standing  of  these  groups  so  long  as 
their  classification  is  allowed  to  remain  a purely  arbitrary 
one,  based  only  upon  interpretation  of  anatomical  details. 
One  man  thinks  the  structural  features  of  Insects  superior, 
and  places  them  highest ; another  thinks  the  structural 
features  of  the  Crustacea  highest,  and  places  them  at  the 
head.  In  either*  case  it  is  only  a question  of  individual 
appreciation  of  the  facts.  But  when  we  study  the  gradual 
development  of  the  insect,  and  find  that  in  its  earliest  stages 
ii  is  worm-like,  in  its  second,  or  chrysalis  stage,  it  is  crusta- 
cean-like, and  only  in  its  final  completion  it  assumes  the 
character  of  a perfect  insect,  we  have  a simple  natural  scale 
by  which  to  estimate  the  comparative  rank  of  these  animals. 
.Since  we  cannot  suppose  that  there  is  a retrograde  move- 
ment in  the  development  of  any  animal,  we  must  believe 
that  the  insect  stands  highest,  and  our  classification  in  this 
instance  is  dictated  by  Nature  herself.  This  is  one  of  the 


22 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


most  striking  examples,  but  there  are  others  quite  as  much 
so,  though  not  as  familiar.  The  frog,  for  instance,  in  its 
successive  stages  of  development,  illustrates  the  comparative 
standing  of  the  orders  composing  the  class  to  which  it 
belongs.  These  orders  are  differently  classified  by  various 
naturalists,  according  to  their  individual  estimate  of  their 
structural  features.  But  the  growth  of  the  frog,  like  that 
of  the  insects,  gives  us  the  true  grade  of  the  type.*  There 
are  not  many  groups  in  which  this  comparison  has  been 
carried  out  so  fully  as  in  the  insects  and  frogs  ; but  wliere- 
ever  it  has  been  tried  it  is  found  to  be  a perfectly  sure  test. 
Occasional  glimpses  of  these  facts,  seen  disconnectedly,  have 
done  much  to  confirm  the  development  theory,  so  greatly 
in  vogue  at  present,  though  under  a somewhat  new  form. 
Those  who  sustain  these  views  have  seen  that  there  was  a 
gradation  between  animals,  and  have  inferred  that  it  was  a 
material  connection.  But  when  we  follow  it  in  the  growth 
of  the  animals  themselves,  and  find  that,  close  as  it  is,  ho 
animal  ever  misses  its  true  development,  or  grows  to  be 
anything  but  what  it  was  meant  to  be,  we  are  forced  to 

* In  copying  the  journal  from  which  these  notes  are  taken,  I have  hesitated 
to  burden  the  narrative  with  anatomical  details.  But  for  those  who  take 
an  interest  in  such  investigations  it  may  be  well  to  add  here  that  the  frog, 
when  first  hatched,  is  simply  an  oblong  body,  without  any  appendages,  and 
tapering  slightly  towards  its  posterior  end.  In  that  condition  it  resembles  the 
Cecilia.  In  its  next  stage,  that  of  the  tadpole,  when  the  extremity  has 
elongated  into  a tail,  the  gills  are  fairly  developed,  and  it  has  one  pair  of 
imperfect  legs,  it  resembles  the  Siren,  with  its  rudimentary  limbs.  In  its 
succeeding  stages,  when  the  same  animal  has  two  pairs  of  legs  and  a fin  around 
the  tail,  it  recalls  the  Proteus  and  Menobranchus.  Finally  the  gills  are 
suppressed,  the  animal  bi’eathes  through  lungs,  but  the  tail  still  remains ; it 
then  recalls  Menopoma  and  the  Salamanders.  At  last  the  tail  shrinks  and 
disappears,  and  the  frog  is  complete.  This  gives  us  a standard  by  which 
the  relative  position  of  the  leading  groups  of  the  class  may  safely  be  deter* 
min  3d.  — L.  A. 


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23 


admit  that  the  gradation  which  unquestionably  unites  all 
animals  is  an  intellectual,  not  a material  one.  It  exists  in 
the  Mind  which  made  them.  As  the  works  of  a human 
intellect  are  bound  together  by  mental  kinship,  so  are  the 
thoughts  of  the  Creator  spiritually  united.  I think  that 
considerations  like  these  should  be  an  inducement  for  us  all 
to  collect  the  young  of  as  many  animals  as  possible  on  this 
journey.  In  so  doing  we  may  change  the  fundamental 
principles  of  classification,  and  confer  a lasting  benefit  on 
science. 

“ It  is  very  important  to  select  the  right  animals  for  such 
investigations.  I can  conceive  that  a lifetime  should  be 
passed  in  embryological  studies,  and  yet  little  be  learned  of 
the  principles  of  classification.  The  embryology  of  the 
worm,  for  instance,  would  not  give  us  the  natural  classifica- 
tion of  the  Articulates,  because  we  should  see  only  the  first 
step  of  the  series ; we  should  not  reach  the  sequence  of  the 
development.  It  would  be  like  reading  over  and  over  again 
the  first  chapter  of  a story.  . The  embryology  of  the  Insects, 
on  the  contrary,  would  give  us  the  whole  succession  of  a 
scale  on  the  lowest  level  of  which  the  Worms  remain  forever. 
So  the  embryology  of  the  frog  will  give  us  the  classification 
of  the  group  to  which  it  belongs,  but  the  embryology  of  the 
Cecilia,  the  lowest  order  in  the  group,  will  give  us  only  the 
initiatory  steps.  In  the  same  way  the  naturalist  who,  in 
studying  the  embryology  of  the  reptiles,  should  begin  with 
their  lowest  representatives,  the  serpents,  would  make  a 
great  mistake.  But  take  the  alligator,  so  abundant  in  the 
regions  to  which  we  are  going.  An  alligator’s  egg  in  the 
earliest  condition  of  growth  has  never  been  opened  by  a 
naturalist.  The  young  have  been  occasionally  taken  from 
the  egg  just  before  hatching,  but  absolutely  nothing  is  known 


24 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


of  their  first  phases  of  development.  A complete  emoryology 
of  the  alligator  would  give  us  not  only  the  natural  classifica- 
tion of  reptiles  as  they  exist  now,  but  might  teach  us  some- 
thing of  their  history  from  the  time  of  their  introduction 
upon  earth  to  the  present  day.  For  embryology  shows  us 
not  only  the  relations  of  existing  animals  to  each  other,  but 
their  relations  to  extinct  types  also.  One  prominent  result 
of  embryological  studies  has  been  to  show  that  animals  in 
the  earlier  stages  of  their  growth  resemble  ancient  represent- 
atives of  the  same  type  belonging  to  past  geological  ages 
The  first  reptiles  were  introduced  in  the  carboniferous  epoch, 
and  they  were  very  different  from  those  now  existing. 
They  were  not  numerous  at  that  period  ; but  later  in  the 
world’s  history  there  was  a time,  justly  called  the  ‘ age  of 
reptiles,’  when  the  gigantic  Saurians,  Plesiosaurians,  and 
Ichtliyosaurians  abounded.  I believe,  and  my  conviction  is 
drawn  from  my  previous  embryological  studies,  that  the 
changes  of  the  alligator  in  the  egg  will  give  us  the  clew  tc 
the  structural  relations  of  the  Reptiles  from  their  first  crea- 
tion to  the  present  day,  — will  give  us,  in  other  words,  their 
sequence  in  time  as  well  as  their  sequence  in  growth.  In 
the  class  of  Reptiles,  then,  the  most  instructive  group  we 
can  select  with  reference  to  the  structural  relations  of  the 
type  as  it  now  exists,  and  their  history  in  past  times,  will  be 
the  alligator.  We  must  therefore  neglect  no  opportunity  of 
collecting  their  eggs  in  as  large  numbers  as  possible. 

u There  are  other  animals  in  Brazil,  low  in  their  class  to 
be  sure,  but  yet  very  important  to  study  embryologically,  on 
account  of  their  relation  to  extinct  types.  These  are  the 
sloths  and  armadillos,  — 1 animals  of  insignificant  size  in  our 
days,  but  anciently  represented  in  gigantic  proportions. 
The  Megatherium,  the  Mylodon,  the  Megalonyx,  were  some 


VO'S  AGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


25 


of  these  immense  Mammalia.  I believe  that  the  embryonic 
changes  of  the  sloths  and  armadillos  will  explain  the  struc- 
tural relations  of  those  huge  Edentata  and  their  connection 
with  the  present  ones.  South  America  teems  with  the  fossil 
bones  of  these  animals,  which  indeed  penetrated  into  the 
northern  half  of  the  hemisphere  as  high  up  as  Georgia  and 
Kentucky,  where  their  remains  have  been  found.  The 
living  representatives  of  the  family  are  also  numerous  ifi 
South  America,  and  we  should  make  it  one  of  our  chief 
objects  to  get  specimens  of  all  ages  and  examine  them  from 
their  earliest  phases  upward.  We  must,  above  all,  try  not  to 
be  led  away  from  the  more  important  aims  of  our  study  by 
the  diversity  of  objects.  I have  known  many  young  natu- 
ralists to  miss  the  highest  success  by  trying  to  cover  too 
much  ground,  — by  becoming  collectors  rather  than  investi- 
gators. Bitten  by  the  mania  for  amassing  a great  number 
and  variety  of  species,  such  a man  never  returns  to  the 
general  consideration  of  more  comprehensive  features.  We 
must  try  to  set  before  ourselves  certain  important  questions, 
and  give  ourselves  resolutely  to  the  investigation  of  these 
points,  even  though  we  should  sacrifice  less  important 
things  more  readily  reached. 

“ Another  type  full  of  interest,  from  an  embryological 
point  of  view,  will  be  the  Monkeys.  Since  some  of  our  scien- 
tific colleagues  look  upon  them  as  our  ancestors,  it  is  impor- 
tant that  we  should  collect  as  many  facts  as  possible  concern- 
ing their  growth.  Of  course  it  would  be  better  if  we  could 
make  the  investigation  in  the  land  of  the  Orangs,  Gorillas, 
and  Chimpanzees,  — the  highest  monkeys  and  the  nearest  to 
man  in  their  development.  Still  even  the  process  of  growth 
in  the  South  American  monkey  will  be  very  instructive. 
Give  a mathematician  the  initial  elements  of  a series,  and 


26 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


he  will  work  out  the  whole  ; and  so  I believe  when  the  laws 
of  embryological  development  are  better  understood,  natu- 
ralists will  have  a key  to  the  limits  of  these  cycles  of  growth, 
and  be  able  to  appoint  them  their  natural  boundaries  even 
from  partial  data. 

“ Next  in  importance  I would  place  the  Tapirs.  This  is 
one  of  a family  whose  geological  antecedents  are  very 
important  and  interesting.  The  Mastodons,  the  Palaeothe- 
rium,  the  Dinotherium,  and  other  large  Mammalia  of  the 
Tertiaries,  are  closely  related  to  the  Tapir.  The  elephant, 
rhinoceros,  and  the  like,  are  of  the  same  family.  From  its 
structural  standing  next  to  the  elephant,  which  is  placed 
highest  in  the  group,  the  embryology  of  the  Tapir  would 
give  us  a very  complete  series  of  changes.  It  would  seem 
from  some  of  the  fossil  remains  of  this  family  that  the 
Pachyderms  were  formerly  more  nearly  related  to  the 
Ruminants  and  Rodents  than  they  now  are.  Therefore  it 
would  be  well  to  study  the  embryology  of  the  Capivari,  the 
Paca,  and  the  Peccary,  in  connection  with  that  of  the  Tapir. 
Lastly,  it  will  be  important  to  learn  something  of  the  em- 
bryology of  the  Manatee  or  Sea-Cow  of  the  Amazons.  It  is 
something  like  a porpoise  in  outline,  and  seems  to  be  the 
modern  representative  of  the  ancient  Dinotherium.” 

April  12 th.  — The  lecture  to-day  was  addressed  especially 
to  the  ornithologists  of  the  party,  its  object  being  to  show 
how  the  same  method  of  study,  — that  of  testing  the  classifi- 
cation by  the  phases  of  growth  in  the  different  groups, — 
might  be  applied  to  the  birds  as  profitably  as  to  other  types. 

We  have  made  good  progress  in  the  last  forty-eight  hours, 
and  are  fast  leaving  our  friends  “ the  trades  ” behind.  The 
captain  promises  us  smooth  waters  in  a day  or  two.  With 
the  dying  away  of  the  wind  will  come  greater  heat,  but  as 


VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


27 


yet  wo  have  had  no  intensely  warm  weather.  The  sun, 
however,  keeps  us  within  doors  a great  part  of  the  day, 
but  in  the  evening  we  sit  on  the  guards,  watch  the  sunset 
over  the  waters,  and  then  the  moonlight,  and  so  while  away 
the  time  till  nine  or  ten  o’clock,  when  one  by  one  the  party 
disperses.  The  sea  has  been  so  rough  that  we  have  not 
been  able  to  capture  anything,  but  when  we  get  into 
smoother  waters,  our  naturalists  will  be  on  the  look  out 
for  jelly-fish,  argon autas,  and  the  like. 

April  ISth. — In  to-day’s  lecture  Mr.  Agassiz  returned 
again  to  the  subject  of  geographical  distribution  and  the 
importance  of  localizing  the  collections  with  great  precision. 

“ As  Rio  de  Janeiro  is  our  starting-point,  the  water-system 
in  its  immediate  neighborhood  will  be  as  it  were  a school- 
room for  us  during  the  first  week  of  our  Brazilian  life. 
We  shall  not  find  it  so  easy  a matter  as  it  seems  to  keep 
our  collections  distinct  in  this  region.  The  head-waters  of 
some  of  the  rivers  near  Rio,  flowing  in  opposite  directions, 
are  in  such  close  proximity  that  it  will  be  difficult  sometimes 
to  distinguish  them.  Outside  of  the  coast  range,  to  which  the 
Organ  Mountains  belong,  are  a number  of  short  streams,  little 
rills,  so  to  speak,  emptying  directly  into  the  ocean.  It  will 
be  important  to  ascertain  whether  the  same  animals  occur 
in  all  these  short  water-courses.  I think  this  will  be  found 
to  be  the  case,  because  it  is  so  with  corresponding  small 
rivers  on  our  northern  coast.  There  are  little  rivers  along 
the  whole  coast  from  Maine  to  New  Jersey  ; all  these  dis- 
connected rivers  contain  a similar  fauna.  There  is  another 
extensive  range  inland  of  the  coast  ridge,  the  Serra  de 
Mantiquera,  sloping  gently  down  to  the  ocean  south  of  the 
Rio  Belmonte  or  Jequitinhonlia.  Rivers  arising  in  this 
range  are  more  complex  ; they  have  iarge  tributaries. 


28 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Their  upper  part  is  usually  broken  by  waterfalls,  their 
lower  course  being  more  level  ; probably  in  the  lower 
courses  of  these  rivers  we  shall  find  fishes  similar  to  those 
of  the  short  coast  streams,  while  in  the  higher  broken 
waters  we  shall  find  distinct  faunae.”  The  lecture  closed 
with  some  account  of  the  excursions  likely  to  be  undertaken 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  on  arriving,  and  with 
some  practical  instructions  about  collecting,  based  upon  Mr. 
Agassiz’s  personal  experience.* 

* On  account  of  the  many  exploring  expeditions  for  which  the  Bay  of 
Rio  de  Janeiro  has  been  a favorite  port,  it  has  acquired  a special  interest  for 
the  naturalist.  It  may  seem  at  first  sight  as  if  the  fact  that  French,  English, 
German,  Russian,  and  American  expeditions  have  followed  each  other  in  this 
locality,  during  the  last  century,  each  bringing  away  its  rich  harvest  of  sped* 
mens,  by  diminishing  its  novelty  would  rather  lessen  than  increase  its  interest 
as  a collecting  ground.  On  the  contrary,  for  the  very  reason  that  the  speci- 
mens from  which  the  greater  part  of  the  descriptions  and  figures  contained  in 
the  published  accounts  of  these  voyages  were  obtained  from  Rio  de  Janeiro 
and  its  neighborhood,  it  becomes  indispensable  that  every  zoological  museum 
aiming  at  scientific  accuracy  and  completeness  should  have  original  specimens 
from  that  very  locality  for  the  identification  of  species  already  described. 
Otherwise  doubts  respecting  the  strict  identity  or  specific  difference  of  speci- 
mens obtained  on  other  parts  of  the  Atlantic  shore,  not  only  in  South  America 
but  in  Central  and  North  America,  may  at  any  time  invalidate  important  gen- 
eralizations concerning  the  distribution  of  animals  in  these  seas.  From  this 
point  of  view,  the  Bay  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  forms  a most  important  centre  of 
comparison,  and  it  was  for  this  reason  that  we  made  so  prolonged  a stay  there. 
Although  the  prospect  of  discovering  any  novelties  was  diminished  by  the 
extensive  investigations  of  our  predecessors,  I well  knew  that  whatever  we 
collected  there  would  greatly  increase  the  value  of  our  collections  elsewhere. 
One  of  my  special  aims  was  to  ascertain  how  far  the  marine  animals  inhabiting 
the  coast  of  Brazil  to  the  south  of  Cape  Frio  differed  from  those  to  the  north 
of  it,  and  furthermore,  how  the  animals  found  along  the  coast  between  Cape 
Frio  and  Cape  St.  Roque  differed  from  or  agreed  with  those  inhabiting  the 
more  northern  shore  of  the  continent  and  the  West  Indian  Islands.  In  the 
course  of  the  following  chapters  I shall  have  occasion  to  return,  more  in  de- 
tail, to  this  subject.  — L.  A. 


VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


29 


April  14 th.  — Last  evening  was  the  most  beautiful  we 
have  had  since  we  left  home  ; perfectly  clear  with  the 
exception  of  soft  white  masses  of  cloud  on  the  horizon, 
all  their  edges  silvered  by  the  moonlight.  We  looked  our 
last  for  many  months  to  come  on  the  north  star,  and  saw  the 
southern  cross  for  the  first  time.  With  the  visible  image  I 
lost  a far  more  wonderful  constellation  which  had  lived  in 
my  imagination  ; it  has  vanished  with  all  its  golden  glory,  a 
celestial  vision  as  amazing  as  that  which  converted  Constan- 
tine, and  in  its  place  stands  the  veritable  constellation  with 
its  four  little  points  of  light. 

The  lecture  to-day  was  upon  the  fishes  of  South  America. 
“ I will  give  you  this  morning  a slight  sketch  of  the  charac- 
teristic fishes  in  South  America,  as  compared  with  those  of 
the  Old  World  and  North  America.  Though  I do  not  know 
how  the  fishes  are  distributed  in  the  regions  to  which  we 
are  going,  and  it  is  just  upon  the  investigation  of  this  point 
that  I want  your  help,  I know  their  character  as  dis- 
tinguished from  those  of  other  continents.  We  must  re- 
member that  the  most  important  aim  of  all  our  studies  in 
this  direction  will  be  the  solution  of  the  question  whether 
any  given  fauna  is  distinct  and  has  originated  where  it  now 
exists.  To  this  end  I shall  make  you  acquainted  with  the 
Brazilian  animals  so  far  as  I can  in  the  short  time  we  have 
before  beginning  our  active  operations,  in  order  that  you 
may  be  prepared  to  detect  the  law  of  their  geographical 
distribution.  I shall  speak  to-day  more  especially  of  the 
fresh-water  fishes. 

“ In  the  northern  hemisphere  there  is  a remarkable  group 
of  fishes  known  as  the  Sturgeons.  They  are  chiefly  found 
in  the  waters  flowing  into  the  Polar  seas,  as  the  Mackenzie 
River  on  our  own  continent,  the  Lena  and  Yenissei  in  the 


30 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Old  World,  and  in  all  the  rivers  and  lakes  of  the  temperate 
zone,  communicating  with  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  They  occur 
in  smaller  numbers  in  most  tributaries  of  the  Mediterra- 
nean, but  are  common  in  the  Yolga  and  Danube,  as  well 
as  in  the  Mississippi,  in  some  of  the  rivers  on  our  north- 
ern Atlantic  and  Pacific  coasts,  and  in  China.  This  fam- 
ily lias  no  representatives  in  Africa,  Southern  Asia,  Austra- 
lia, or  South  America,  but  there  is  a group  corresponding 
in  a certain  way  to  it  in  South  America,  - — that  of  the  Go* 
niodonts.  Though  some  ichthyologists  place  them  widely 
apart  in  their  classifications,  there  is,  on  the  whole,  a 
striking  resemblance  between  the  Sturgeons  and  Gonio- 
donts.  Groups  of  this  kind,  reproducing  certain  features 
common  to  both,  but  differing  by  special  structural  modifica- 
tions, are  called  4 representative  types.’  This  name  applies 
more  especially  to  such  groups  when  they  are  distributed 
over  different  parts  of  the  world.  To  naturalists  the  com- 
parison of  one  of  these  types  with  another  is  very  interest- 
ing, as  touching  upon  the  question  of  origin  of  species.  To 
those  who  believe  that  animals  are  derived  from  one  another 
the  alternative  here  presented  is  very  clear : either  one  of 
these  groups  grew  out  of  the  other,  or  else  they  both  had 
common  ancestors  which  were  neither  Sturgeons  nor  Goni- 
odonts,  but  combined  the  features  of  both  and  gave  birth  to 
each. 

44  There  is  a third  family  of  fishes,  the  Hornpouts  or  Bull- 
heads, called  Siluroids  by  naturalists,  which  seem  by  their 
structural  character  to  occupy  an  intermediate  position  be- 
tween the  Sturgeons  and  Goniodonts.  There  would  seem 
to  be,  then,  in  these  three  groups,  so  similar  in  certain  fea- 
tures, so  distinct  in.  others,  the  elements  of  a series.  But 
while  their  structural  relations  suggest  a common  origin, 


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81 


their  geographical  distribution  seems  to  exclude  it.  Take, 
for  instance,  the  Hornpouts  ; they  are  very  few  in  the  north- 
ern hemisphere,  hardly  ever  occurring  in  those  rivers  where 
the  Sturgeons  abound,  and  they  are  very  numerous  in  the 
southern  hemisphere,  in  southern  Asia,  Australia,  Africa, 
and  South  America,  where  the  Sturgeons  are  altogether 
wanting.  In  South  America  the  Siluroids  everywhere  exist 
with  the  Goniodonts,  in  all  other  parts  of  the  world  without 
them  ; the  Goniodonts  being  only  found  in  South  America. 
If  these  were  the  ancestors  of  the  Siluroids  in  South  Amer- 
ica, they,  were  certainly  not  their  ancestors  anywhere  else. 
If  the  Sturgeons  were  the  ancestors  of  the  Siluroids  and  of 
the  Goniodonts,  it  is  strange  that  their  progeny  should  con- 
sist of  these  two  families  in  South  America,  and  in  the  Old 
World  of  the  Siluroids  only.  But  if  all  three  had  some 
other  common  ancestry,  it  would  be  still  more  extraordinary 
that  its  progeny  should  exhibit  so  specific  a distribution  upon 
the  surface  of  our  globe.  The  Siluroids  lay  very  large  eggs, 
and  as  they  are  very  abundant  in  South  America  we  shall 
no  doubt  have  opportunities  of  collecting  them.  Of  the  re- 
production of  the  Goniodonts  absolutely  nothing  is  known. 
Of  course  the  embryology  of  both  these  groups  would  have 
a direct  bearing  on  the  problem  of  their  origin. 

“Another  family  very  abundant  in  various  parts  of  the 
world  is  that  of  the  Perches.  They  are  found  all  over  North 
America,  Europe,  and  Northern  Asia ; but  there  is  not  one 
to  be  found  in  the  fresh  waters  of  the  southern  hemisphere. 
In  South  America  and  in  Africa  they  are  represented  how- 
ever by  a very  similar  group,  that  of  the  Chromids.  These 
two  groups  are  so  much  akin  that  from  their  structure  it 
would  seem  natural  to  suppose  that  the  Chromids  were 
transformed  Perches;  the  more  so,  since  in  the  western 


32 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


hemisphere  the  latter  extend  from  the  high  north  to  Texas, 
south  of  which  they  are  represented  by  the  Chromids.  Here 
the  geographical  as  well  as  the  structural  transition  would 
seem  an  easy  one.  But  look  at  the  eastern  hemisphere. 
Perches  abound  in  Asia,  Europe,  and  Australia,  but  there 
are  no  Chromids  there.  How  is  it  that  the  Perches  of  this 
continent  have  been  so  fertile  in  producing  Chromids,  and 
the  Perches  of  all  other  continents,  except  Africa,  absolutely 
sterile  in  this  respect  ? Or  if  we  reverse  the  proposition, 
and  suppose  the  Perches  to  have  grown  out  of  the  Chromids, 
why  have  their  ancestry  disappeared  so  completely  on  the 
Asiatic  side  of  the  world,  while  they  do  not  seem  to  have 
diminished  on  this  ? And  if  Perches  and  Chromids  should 
be  represented  as  descending  from  an  older  common  type, 
I would  answer  that  Palaeontology  knows  nothing  of  such  a 
pedigree. 

“ Next  come  the  Chubs,  or  in  scientific  nomenclature  the 
Cyprinoids.  These  fishes,  variously  called  Chubs,  Suckers, 
or  Carps,  abound  in  all  the  fresh  waters  of  the  northern 
hemisphere.  They  are  also  numerous  in  the  eastern  part 
of  the  southern  hemisphere,  but  have  not  a single  represent- 
ative in  South  America.  As  the  Goniodonts  are  charac- 
teristic of  the  southern  hemisphere  in  its  western  half,  so 
this  group  seems  to  be  characteristic  of  it  in  its  eastern 
half.  But  while  the  Cyprinoids  have  no  representative  in 
South  America,  there  is  another  group  there,  structurally 
akin  to  them,  called  the  Cyprinodonts.  They  are  all  small 
sized  ; our  Minnows  belong  to  this  group.  From  Maine  to 
Texas  they  are  found  in  all  the  short  rivers  or  creeks  all 
along  the  coast.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  I expect  to  find 
the  short  coast  rivers  of  South  America  abounding  in  Min 
nows.  I remember  to  have  found  in  the  neighborhood  of 


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33 


Mobile  no  less  than  six  new  species  in  the  course  of  an  af- 
ternoon’s ramble.  These  fishes  are  almost  all  viviparous,  or 
at  least  lay  their  eggs  in  a very  advanced  state  of  develop- 
ment of  the  young.  The  sexes  differ  so  greatly  in  appear- 
ance that  they  have  sometimes  been  described  as  distinct 
species,  nay,  even  as  distinct  genera.*  We  must  be  on  our 
guard  against  a similar  mistake.  Here  again  we  have  two 
groups,  the  Cyprinoids  and  Cyprinodonts,  so  similar  in 
their  structural  features  that  the  development  of  one  out 
of  the  other  naturally  suggests  itself.  But  in  South  Amer- 
ica there  are  no  Cyprinoids  at  all,  while  the  Cyprinodonts 
abound ; in  Europe,  Asia,  and  North  America  on  the  con- 
trary, the  Cyprinoids  are  very  numerous  and  the  Cyprino 
donts  comparatively  few.”  The  Characines  were  next  con- 
sidered with  reference  to  their  affinities  as  well  as  their 
geographical  distribution ; and  a few  remarks  were  added 
upon  the  smaller  families  known  to  have  representatives  in 
the  fresh  waters  of  South  America,  such  as  the  Erythri- 
noids,  the  Gymnotines,  Ac.  “ I am  often  asked  what  is  my 
chief  aim  in  this  expedition  to  South  America  ? No  doubt 
in  a general  way  it  is  to  collect  materials  for  future  study. 
But  the  conviction  which  draws  me  irresistibly,  is  that  the 
combination  of  animals  on  this  continent,  where  the  faunae 
are  so  characteristic  and  so  distinct  from  all  others,  will  give 
me  the  means  of  showing  that  the  transmutation  theoi j is 
wholly  without  foundation  in  facts.”  The  lecture  closed 
with  some  account  of  the  Salmonidae,  found  all  over  the 
northern  hemisphere,  but  represented  in  South  America  by 
the  Characines,  distinct  species  of  which  may  be  looked  for 
in  the  separate  water-basins  of  Brazil ; and  also  of  several 
other  important  families  of  South  American  fishes,  espe- 

* Molinesia  and  Pcecilia. 

3 


34 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


cially  the  Osteoglossum,  the  Sudis,  Ac.,  interesting  on  ac- 
count of  their  relation  to  an  extinct  fossil  type,  that  of  the 
Coelacanths.* 

April  Ylth.  — Yesterday  was  Easter  Sunday,  and  the  day 
was  beautiful.  The  services  from  Bishop  Potter  in  the 
morning  were  very  interesting ; the  more  so  for  us  on  ac- 
count of  the  God  speed  he  gave  us.  Wind  and  weather 
permitting,  it  is  the  last  Sunday  we  shall  pass  on  board  ship 
together.  The  Bishop  spoke  with  much  earnestness  and 
sympathy  of  the  objects  of  the  expedition,  addressing  him- 
self especially  to  the  young  men,  hot  only  with  reference 
to  their  duties  as  connected  with  a scientific  undertaking, 
but  as  American  citizens  hi  a foreign  country  at  this  time 
of  war  and  misapprehension. 

This  morning  we  were  quite  entertained  at  meeting  a 
number  of  the  so-called  “ Catamarans,”  the  crazy  crafts  of 
the  fishermen,  who  appear  to  be  amphibious  animals  on  this 
coast.  Their  boats  consist  of  a few  logs  lashed  together, 
over  which  the  water  breaks  at  every  moment  without  ap- 
parently disturbing  the  occupants  in  the  least.  They  fish, 
walk  about,  sit,  lie  down  or  stand,  eat,  drink,  and  sleep,  to 
all  appearance  as  contented  and  comfortable  as  we  are  in 
our  princely  steamer.  Usually  they  go  into  port  at  night- 
fall, but  are  occasionally  driven  out  to  sea  by  the  wind,  and 
may  sometimes  be  met  with  two  hundred  miles  and  more 
from  the  shore.  To-day  we  have  fairly  come  upon  the  South 
American  coast.  Yesterday  we  could  catch  sight  occasion 

* This  lecture  was  accompanied  by  careful  descriptions  and  drawings  on  the 
blackboard,  showing  the  structural  differences  between  these  groups  These 
are  omitted,  as  they  would  have  little  interest  for  the  general  reader.  The 
chief  object  in  reporting  these  lectures  is  to  show  the  aims  which  Mr.  Agassiz 
placed  before  himself  and  his  companions  in  laying  out  the  work  of  the  expe- 
dition, and  these  are  made  sufficiently  clear  without  further  scientific  details. 


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85 


ally  of  low  sand  banks ; but  this  morning  we  have  sailed 
past  the  pretty  little  town  of  Oliryla,  with  its  convent  on 
the  hill,  and  the  larger  city  of  Pernambuco,  whose  white 
houses  come  quite  down  to  the  seashore.  Immediately  in 
front  of  the  town  lies  the  reef,  which  runs  southward  along 
the  coast  for  a hundred  miles  and  more,  enclosing  between 
itself  and  the  shore  a strip  of  quiet  waters,  forming  admi- 
rable anchorage  for  small  shipping.  Before  Pernambuco 
this  channel  is  quite  deep,  and  directly  in  front  of  the  town 
there  is  a break  in  the  reef  forming  a natural  gateway 
through  which  large  vessels  can  enter.  We  have  now  left 
the  town  behind'  but  the  shore  is  still  in  sight ; a flat  coast 
rising  into  low  hills  behind,  and  here  and  there  dotted  with 
villages  and  fisliing-huts. 

The  lecture  on  Saturday  was  rather  practical  than  scien- 
tific, on  the  best  modes  of  collecting  and  preserving  speci- 
mens, the  instruments  to  be  used,  &c.  To-day  it  was  upon 
the  classification  of  fishes  as  illustrated  by  embryology  ; the 
same  method  of  study  as  that  explained  the  other  day  and 
now  applied  to  the  class  of  fishes.  “ All  fishes  at  the  time 
when  the  germ  becomes  distinct  above  the  yolk  have  a 
continuous  fin  over  the  whole  back,  around  the  tail,  and 
under  the  abdomen.  The  naked  reptiles,  those  which  have 
no  scales,  such  as  frogs,  toads,  salamanders,  and  the  like, 
share  in  this  embryological  feature  of  the  fishes.  From  this 
identity  of  development  I believe  the  naked  reptiles  to  be 
structurally  nearer  to  the  true  fishes  than  to  the  scaly  rep- 
tiles. All  fishes,  and  indeed  all  Vertebrates,  even  the  high- 
est, have,  at  this  early  period,  fissures  in  the  side  of  the  neck. 
These  are  the  first  indications  of  gills,  an  organ  the  basis  for 
which  exists  in  all  Vertebrates  at  a certain  period  of  their 
life,  but  is  fully  developed  and  functionally  active  only  in 


86 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


the  lower  ones,  in  which  it  acquires  a special  final  structure : 
giving  place  to  lungs  in  the  higher  ones  before  they  reach 
their  adult  condition.  From  this  time  forward  not  only  the 
class  characters,  but  those  of  the  family,  begin  to  be  dis- 
tinguished. I will  show  you  to-day  how  we  may  improve 
the  classification  of  fishes  by  studying  their  embryology. 
Take,  for  instance,  the  family  of  Cods  in  its  widest  ac- 
ceptation. It  consists  of  several  genera,  among  which  are 
the  Cod  proper,  the  Cusk,  and  the  Brotula.  Naturalists 
may  differ  in  their  estimation  of  the  relative  rank  of  these 
genera,  and  even  with  reference  to  their  affinity,  but  the 
embryology  of  the  Cod  seems  to  me  to  give  the  natural 
scale.  In  its  early  condition  the  Cod  has  the  continuous  fin 
of  the  Brotula,  next  the  dorsal  and  caudal  fins  become  dis- 
tinct, as  in  the  Cusk,  and  lastly  the  final  individualization  of 
the  fins  takes  place,  and  they  break  up  into  the  three  dorsals 
and  two  anals  of  the  Cod.  Thus  the  Brotula  represents  the 
infantile  condition  of  the  Cod,  and  of  course  stands  lowest, 
while  the  Cusk  has  its  natural  position  between  the  two. 
There  are  other  genera  belonging  to  this  family,  as,  for  in- 
stance, the  Lota  or  fresh-water  Cusk  and  the  Hake,  the  rela- 
tive position  of  which  may  be  determined  by  further  embryo- 
logical  studies.  I had  an  opportunity  of  observing  some- 
thing in  the  development  of  the  Hake  which  throws  some 
light  on  the  relation  of  the  Ophidini  to  the  Cod  family,  though 
thus  far  they  have  been  associated  with  the  Eel.  The  little 
embryonic  Hake  on  which  I made  my  investigation  was  about 
an  inch  and  a half  in  length ; it  was  much  more  slender 
and  elongated  in  proportion  to  its  thickness  than  any  of  the 
family  of  Cods  in  their  adult  condition,  and  had  a continu- 
ous fin  all  around  the  body.  Although  the  structural  rela- . 
tions  of  the  Eels  are  not  fully  understood,  some  of  them,  at 


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37. 


least,  now  united  as  a distinct  family  under  the  name  of 
Opliidini,  are  known  to  be  closely  connected  with  the  Cods, 
and  this  character  of  the  Hake  in  its  early  condition  would 
seem  to  show  that  this  type  of  Eel  is  a sort  of  embryonic 
form  of  the  Cod  family. 

“ Another  well-known  family  of  fishes  is  that  of  the  Lo- 
phioides.  To  this  group  belongs  the  Lophius  or  Goose-fish, 
with  which  the  Cottoids  or  Sculpins,  and  the  Blennioids, 
with  Zoarces  and  Anarrhichas,  the  so-called  Sea-cat,  ought  to 
be  associated.  It  was  my  good  fortune  to  have  an  opportu- 
nity of  studying  the  development  of  the  Lophius,  and  to  my 
surprise  I found  that  its  embryonic  phases  included  the 
whole  series  here  alluded  to,  thus  presenting  another  of 
those  natural  scales  on  which  I hope  all  our  scientific  classi- 
fications will  be  remodelled  when  we  obtain  a better  knowl- 
edge of  embryology.  The  Lophius  in  its  youngest  stage  re- 
calls the  Tsenioids,  being  long  and  compressed ; next  it  re- 
sembles the  Blennioids,  and  growing  stouter  passes  through 
a stage  like  Cottus,  before  it  assumes  the 'depressed  form  of 
Lophius.  In  the  family  of  Cyprinodonts  I have  observed  the 
young  of  Fundulus.  They  are  destitute  of  ventrals,  thus 
showing  that  the  genus  Orestias  stands  lowest  in  its  family. 
I would  allude  to  one  other  fact  of  this  kind  observed  by  Pro- 
fessor Wyman.  There  has  been  a doubt  among  naturalists 
as  to  the  relative  standing  of  the  Skates  and  Sharks.  On 
geological  evidence  I had  placed  the  Skates  highest,  because 
the  Sharks  precede  them  in  time ; but  this  fact  had  not  been 
established  on  embryological  evidence.  Professor  Wyman 
has  followed  the  embryology  of  the  Skate  through  all  its 
phases,  and  has  found  that  in  its  earlier  condition  it  is  slen- 
der in  outline,  with  the  appearance  of  a diminutive  shark, 
and  that  only  later  it  assumes  the  broad  shield-like  form  and 


38 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


long  tapering  tail  of  the  skate.  Were  it  only  that  they 
enable  us  to  set  aside  all  arbitrary  decisions  and  base  our 
classifications  on  the  teachings  of  nature,  these  investigations 
would  be  invaluable  ; but  their  importance  is  increased 
by  the  consideration  that  we  are  thus  gradually  led  to 
recognize  the  true  affinities  which  bind  all  organized  beings 
into  one  great  system.” 

April  20 th.  — The  day  after  to-morrow  we  shall  enter 
the  Bay  of  Bio  de  Janeiro.  One  begins  to  see  already 
that  little  disturbance  in  the  regularity  of  sea  life  which 
precedes  arrival.  People  are  making  up  their  letters,  and 
rearranging  their  luggage  ; there  is  a slight  stir  pervading 
our  small  party  of  passengers  and  breaking  up  the  even 
tenor  of  the  uniform  life  we  have  been  leading  together 
for  the  last  three  weeks.  It  has  been  a delightful  voyage, 
and  yet,  under  the  most  charming  circumstances,  life  at 
sea  is  a poor  exchange  for  life  on  land,  and  we  are  all 
glad  to  be  near  our  haven. 

On  Tuesday  the  lecture  was  upon  the  formation  and 
growth  of  the  egg ; a sort  of  practical  lesson  in  the  study 
of  embryology  ; yesterday,  upon  the  importance  of  ascer- 
taining, at  the  outset,  the  spawning  season  of  the  animals 
in  Brazil,  and  the  means  to  that  end.  “ It  will  often  be 
impossible  for  us  to  learn  the  breeding  season  of  animals,  a 
matter  in  which  country  people  are  generally  very  ignorant. 
But  when  we  cannot  obtain  it  from  persons  about  us, 
there  are  some  indications  in  the  animals  themselves 
which  may  serve  as  a guide.  During  my  own'  investiga- 
tions upon  the  development  of  the  turtles,  when  I opened 
many  thousands  of  eggs,  I found  that  in  these  animals, 
at  least,  the  appearance  of  the  ovaries  is  a pretty  good 
guide.  They  always  contain  several  sets  of  eggs.  Those 


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39 


which  will  be  laid  this  year  are  the  largest  ; those  of 
the  following  year  are  next  in  size  ; those  of  two  years 
hence  still  smaller,  until  we  come  to  eggs  so  small  that 
it  is  impossible  to  perceive  any  difference  between  their 
various  phases  of  development.  But  we  can  readily  tell 
whether  there  are  any  eggs  so  advanced  as  to  be  near 
laying,  and  distinguish  between  the  brood  of  the  year 
and  those  which  are  to  be  hatched  later.  When  the  eggs 
are  about  to  be  laid  the  whole  surface  is  covered  with 
ramifying  bloodvessels,  and  the  yolk  is  of  a very  clear 
bright  yellow.  Before  the  egg  drops  from  the  ovary  this 
network  bursts  ; it  shrivels  up  and  forms  a little  scar 
on  the  side  of  the  ovary.  Should  we,  therefore,  on  ex- 
amining the  ovary  of  a turtle,  find  that  these  scars  are 
fresh,  we  may  infer  that  the  season  for  laying  is  not 
over  ; or  if  we  find  some  of  the  eggs  much  larger  than 
the  rest  and  nearly  mature,  we  shall  know  that  it  is 
about  to  begin.  How  far  this  will  hold  good  with  respect 
to  alligators  and  other  animals  I do  not  know.  I have 
learned  to  recognize  these  signs  in  the  turtles  from  my 
long  study  of  their  embryology.  With  fishes  it  could 
hardly  be  possible  to  distinguish  the  different  sets  of  eggs 
because  they  lay  such  numbers,  and  they  are  all  so  small. 
But  if  we  cannot  distinguish  the  eggs  of  the  different 
years,  it  will  be  something  to  learn  the  size  of  their  broods, 
which  differs  very  greatly  in  different  families.” 

The  lecture  concluded  with  some  advice  as  to  observing 
and  recording  the  metamorphoses  of  insects.  “ Though 
much  has  been  written  on  the  societies  of  ants  and  other 
like  communities  in  Brazil,  the  accounts  of  different  natu- 
ralists do  not  agree.  It  would  be  well  to  collect  the  larvae 
of  a great  many  insects,  and  try  to  raise  them  ; but  as  this 


40 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


will  be  difficult  and  often  impossible  in  travelling,  we  must 
at  least  get  the  nests  of  ants,  bees,  wasps,  and  the  like,  in 
order  to  ascertain  all  we  can  respecting  their  communities. 
When  these  are  not  too  large  it  is  easy  to  secure  them  by 
slipping  a bag  over  them,  thus  taking  the  whole  settlement 
captive.  It  may  then  be  preserved  by  dipping  into  alcohol, 
and  examined  at  leisure,  so  as  to  ascertain  the  number  and 
nature  of  the  individuals  contained  in  it,  and  learn  some- 
thing at  least  of  their  habits.  Nor  lei:  us  neglect  the  do- 
mestic establishments  of  spiders.  There  is  an  immense 
variety  of  spiders  in  South  America,  and  a great  differ- 
ence in  their  webs.  It  would  be  well  to  preserve  these  on 
sheets  of  paper,  to  make  drawings  of  them,  and  examine 
their  threads  microscopically.” 

April  21  st.  — - Yesterday  Mr.  Agassiz  gave  his  closing 
lecture,  knowing  that  to-day  all  would  be  occupied  with 
preparations  for  landing.  He  gave  a little  history  of  Steen- 
strup  and  Sars,  and  showed  the  influence  their  embryologi- 
cal  investigations  have  had  in  reforming  classification,  and 
also  their  direct  bearing  upon  the  question  of  the  origin  of 
species.  To  these  investigators  science  owes  the  discovery 
of  the  so-called  “alternate  generations,”  in  which  the  Hy- 
droid,  either  by  budding  or  by  the  breaking  up  of  its  own 
body,  gives  rise  to  numerous  jelly-fishes  ; these  lay  eggs 
which  produce  Hy droids  again,  and  the  Hydroids  renew 
the  process  as  before.* 

“ These  results  are  but  recently  added  to  the  annals  of  sci- 

* As  these  investigations  have  been  published  with  so  much  detail  ( Steen 
strup,  Alternate  Generation,  Sars’s  Fauna  Norwegica;  L.  Agassiz,  Contr.  to 
Nat.  Hist.' of  U.  S.),  it  has  not  been  thought  necessary  to  reproduce  this  part 
of  the  lecture  here.  Any  one  who  cares  to  read  a less  technical  account  of 
these  investigations  than  those  originally  published,  will  find  it  in  “ Methods 
of  Study,”  by  L.  Agassiz. 


VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


41 


ence  and  are  not  yet  very  extensively  known  in  the  com- 
munity ; but  when  the  facts  are  more  fully  understood,  they 
cannot  fail  to  affect  the  fundamental  principles  of  zoology, 
I have  been  astonished  to  see  how  little  weight  Darwin 
himself  gives  to  this  series  of  transformations ; he  hardly 
alludes  to  it,  and  yet  it  has  a very  direct  bearing  on  his 
theory,  since  it  shows  that,  however  great  the  divergence 
from  the  starting-point  in  any  process  of  development,  it 
ever  returns  to  the  road  of  its  normal  destiny ; the  cycle 
may  be  wide,  but  the  boundaries  are  as  impassable  as  if  it 
were  narrower.  However  these  processes  of  development 
may  approach,  or  even  cross  each  other,  they  never  end  in 
making  any  living  being  different  from  the  one  which  gave 
it  birth,  though  in  reaching  that  point  it  may  pass  through 
phases  resembling  other  animals. 

66  In  considering  these  questions  we  should  remember  how 
slight  are  most  of  those  specific  differences,  the  origin  of 
which  gives  rise  to  so  much  controversy,  in  comparison  with 
the  cycle  of  changes  undergone  by  every  individual  in  the 
course  of  its  development.  There  are  numerous  genera, 
including  many  very  closely  allied  species,  distinguished  by 
differences  which,  were  it  not  for  the  fact  that  they  have 
remained  unchanged  and  invariable  through  ages,  might  be 
termed  insignificant.  Such,  for  instance,  are  the  various 
species  of  corals  found  in  the  everglades  of  Florida,  where 
they  lived  and  died  ages  ago,  and  had  the  identical 
specific  differences  by  which  we  distinguish  their  succes- 
sors in  the  present  Florida  reefs.  The  whole  science  of 
zoology  in  its  present  condition  is  based  upon  the  fact  that 
these  slight  differences  are  maintained  generation  after  gen- 
eration. And  yet  every  individual  on  such  a coral  stock,  — 
and  the  same  is  true  of  any  individual  in  any  < lass  whatso- 


42 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


ever  of  the  whole  animal  kingdom,  whether  Radiate,  Mol- 
lusk,  Articulate,  or  Yertebrate,  — before  reaching  its  adult 
condition  and  assuming  the  permanent  characters  which  dis- 
tinguish it  from  other  species,  and  have  never  been  known  to 
vary,  passes  in  a comparatively  short  period  through  an  ex- 
traordinary transformation,  the  successive  phases  of  which 
differ  far  more  from  each  other  than  do  the  adult  species. 
In  other  words,  the  same  individual  differs  more  from  him- 
self in  successive  stages  of  his  growth  than  he  does  in  his 
adult  condition  from  kindred  species  of  the  same  genus. 
The  conclusion  seems  inevitable,  that,  if  the  slight  differ- 
ences which  distinguish  species  were  not  inherent,  and  if 
the  phases  through  which  every  individual  has  to  pass  were 
not  the  appointed  means  to  reach  that  end,  themselves  in- 
variable, there  would  be  ever-recurring  deviations  from  the 
normal  types.  Every  naturalist  knows  that  this  is  not  the 
case.  All  the  deviations  known  to  us  are  monstrosities,  and 
the  occurrence  of  these,  under  disturbing  influences,  are  to 
my  mind  only  additional  evidence  of  the  fixity  of  species. 
The  extreme  deviations  obtained  in  domesticity  are  secured, 
as  is  well  known,  at  the  expense  of  the  typical  characters, 
and  end  usually  in  the  production  of  sterile  individuals. 
All  such  facts  seem  to  show  that  so-called  varieties  or 
breeds,  far  from  indicating  the  beginning  of  new  types,  or 
the  initiating  of  incipient  species,  only  point  out  the  range 
of  flexibility  in  types  which  in  their  essence  are  invariable. 

“ In  the  discussion  of  the  development  theory  in  its  pres- 
ent form,  a great  deal  is  said  of  the  imperfection  of  the 
geological  record.  But  it  seems  to  me  that,  however  frag- 
mentary our  knowledge  of  geology,  its  incompleteness  does 
not  invalidate  certain  important  points  in  the  evidence.  It 
is  well  known  that  the  crust  of  our  earth  is  divided  into  a 


VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


43 


number  of  layers,  all  of  wliicli  contain  the  remains  of  dis- 
tinct populations.  These  different  sets  of  inhabitants  who 
have  possessed  the  earth  at  successive  periods  have  each 
a character  of  their  own.  The  transmutation  theory  in- 
sists that  they  owe  their  origin  to  gradual  transformations, 
and  are  not,  therefore,  the  result  of  distinct  creative  acts. 
All  agree,  however,  that  we  arrive  at  a lower  stratum  where 
no  trace  of  life  is  to  be  found.  Place  it  where  we  will : 
suppose  that  we  are  mistaken  in  thinking  that  we  have 
reached  the  beginning  of  life  with  the  lowest  Cambrian 
deposit ; suppose  that  the  first  animals  preceded  this  epoch, 
and  that  there  was  an  earlier  epoch,  to  be  called  the  Lauren- 
tian  system,  beside  maiiy  others  older  still ; it  is  nevertheless 
true  that  geology  brings  us  down  to  a level  at  which  the  char- 
acter of  the  earth’s  crust  made  organic  life  impossible.  At 
this  point,  wherever  we  place  it,  the  origin  of  animals  by  de- 
velopment was  impossible,  because  they  had  no  ancestors. 
This  is  the  true  starting-point,  and  until  we  have  some  facts 
to  prove  that  the  power,  whatever  it  was,  which  originated 
the  first  animals  has  ceased  to  act,  I see  no  reason  for  refer- 
ring the  origin  of  life  to  any  other  cause.  I grant  that  we 
have  no  such  evidence  of  an  active  creative  power  as  Science 
requires  for  positive  demonstration  of  her  laws,  and  that 
we  cannot  explain  the  processes  which  lie  at  the  origin  of 
life.  But  if  the  facts  are  insufficient  on  our  side,  they  are 
absolutely  wanting  on  the  other.  We  cannot  certainly  con- 
sider the  development  theory  proved,  because  a few  natu- 
ralists think  it  plausible : it  seems  plausible  only  to  the 
few,  and  it  is  demonstrated  by  none.  I bring  this  subject 
before  you  now,  not  to  urge  upon  you  this  or  that  theory, 
strong  as  my  own  convictions  are.  I wish  only  to  warn 
you,  not  against  the  development  theory  itself,  but  against 


44 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


the  looseness  in  the  methods  of  study  upon  which  it  is 
based.  Whatever  be  your  ultimate  opinions  on  this  subject, 
let  them  rest  on  facts  and  not  on  arguments,  however 
plausible.  This  is  not  a question  to  be  argued,  it  is  one 
to  be  investigated. 

“ As  I have  advanced  in  these  talks  with  you,  I have 
become  more  and  more  dissatisfied,  feeling  the  difficulty 
of  laying  out  our  work  without  a practical  familiarity 
with  the  objects  themselves.  But  this  is  the  inevitable 
position  of  one  who  is  seeking  the  truth : till  we  have 
found  it,  we  are  more  or  less  feeling  our  way.  I am  aware 
that  in  my  lectures  I have  covered  a far  wider  range  of 
subjects  than  we  can  handle,  even  if  every  man  do  his 
very  best  ; if  we  accomplish  one  tenth  of  the  work  I 
have  suggested,  I shall  be  more  than  satisfied  with  the 
result  of  the  expedition.  In  closing,  I can  hardly  add 
anything  to  the  impressive  admonitions  of  Bishop  Potter 
in  his  parting  words  to  us  last  Sunday,  for  which  I thank 
him  in  your  name  and  my  own.  But  I would  remind 
you,  that,  while  America  has  recovered  her  political  inde- 
pendence, while  we  all  have  that  confidence  in  our  insti- 
tutions which  makes  us  secure,  that  so  far  as  we  are 
true  to  them,  doing  what  we  do  conscientiously  and  in 
full  view  of  our  responsibilities  we  shall  be  in  the  right 
path,  we  have  not  yet  achieved  our  intellectual  indepen- 
dence. There  is  a disposition  in  this  country  to  refer 
all  literary  and  scientific  matters  to  European  tribunals  ; 
to  accept  a man  because  he  has  obtained  the  award  of 
societies  abroad.  An  American  author  is  often  better 
satisfied  if  he  publish  his  book  in  England  than  at  home. 
In  my  opinion,  every  man  who  publishes  his  work  on  the 
other  side  of  the  water  deprives  his  country  of  so  much 


VOYAGE  FROM  NEW  YORK  TO  RIO  DE  JANEIRO.  46 

intellectual  capital  to  which  she  has  a right.  Publish 
your  results  at  home,  and  let  Europe  discover  whether 
they  are  worth  reading.  Not  until  you  are  faithful  to 
your  citizenship  in  your  intellectual  as  well  as  your  po- 
litical life,  will  you  be  truly  upright  and  worthy  students 
of  nature.” 

At  the  conclusion  of  these  remarks  a set  of  resolutions 
was  read  by  Bishop  Potter.*  They  were  followed  by  a 
few  little  friendly  speeches,  all  made  in  the  most  informal 
and  cordial  spirit  ; and  so  ended  our  course  of  lectures 
on  board,  the  Colorado.  Later  in  the  day  we  observed 
singular  bright  red  patches  in  the  sea.  Some  were  not 
less  than  seven  or  eight  feet  in  length,  rather  oblong, 
and  the  whole  mass  looked  as  red  as  blood.  Sometimes  they 
seemed  to  lie  on'  the  very  top  of  the  water,  sometimes  to 
be  a little  below  it,  so  as  only  to  tinge  the  rippling  surface. 
One  of  the  sailors  succeeded  in  catching  a portion  of  it  in  a 
bucket,  when  it  was  found  to  consist  of  a solid  mass  of 
little  crustaceans,  bright  red  in  color.  They  were  all  very 
lively,,  keeping  up  a constant  rapid  motion.  Mr.  Agassiz 
examined  them  under  the  microscope  and  found  them  to 
be  the  young  of  a crab.  He  has  no  doubt  that  every  such 
patch  is  a single  brood,  floating  thus  compactly  together 
like  spawn. 


* See  Appendix  No.  III. 


46 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


CHAPTER  II. 

RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS.  — JUIZ  DE  FORA. 

Arrival.  — Aspect  of  Harbor  and  City.  — Custom-House.  — First  Glimpse 
of  Brazilian  Life.  — Negro  Dance.  — Effect  of  Emancipation  in  United 
States  upon  Slavery  in  Bkazil.  — First  Aspect  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  on 
Land.  — Picturesque  Street  Groups.  — Eclipse  of  the  Sun.  — At  Home 
in  Rio.  — Larangeiras.  — Passeio  Publico.  — Excursion  on  the  Dom 
Pedro  Railroad.  — Visit  of  the  Emperor  to  the  Colorado.  — Cor- 
diality of  Government  to  the  Expedition.  — Laboratory.  — Botanical 
Garden.  — Alley  of  Palms.  — Excursion  to  the  Corcovado.  — Juiz 
de  Fora  Road.  — Petropolis.  — Tropical  Vegetation.  — Ride  from 
Petropolis  to  Juiz  de  Fora.  — Visit  to  Seniior  Lage.  — Excursion  to 
the  “Forest  of  the  Empress.”  — Visit  to  Mr.  Halfeld.  — Return  to 
Rio.  — News  of  the  Great  Northern  Victories,  and  of  the  President’s 
Assassination. 

April  23 d.  — Yesterday  at  early  dawn  we  made  Cape 
Frio  light,  and  at  seven  o’clock  were  aroused  by  the  wel- 
come information  that  the  Organ  Mountains  were  in  sight. 
The  coast  range  here,  though  not  very  lofty,  (its  highest 
summits  ranging  only  from  two  to  three  thousand  feet,)  is 
bold  and  precipitous.  The  peaks  are  very  conical,  and 
the  sides  slope  steeply  to  the  water’s  edge,  where,  in  many 
places,  a wide  beach  runs  along  their  base.  The  scenery 
grew  more  picturesque  as  we  approached  the  entrance  of 
the  hay,  which  is  guarded  by  heights  rising  sentinel-like 
on  either  side.  Once  within  this  narrow  rocky  portal, 
the  immense  harbor,  stretching  northward  for  more  than 
twenty  miles,  seems  rather  like  a vast  lake  enclosed  by 
mountains  than  like  a bay.  On  one  side  extends  the 
ridge  which  shuts  it  from  the  sea,  broken  by  the  sharp 
peaks  of  the  Corcovado,  the  Tijuca,  and  the  flat-topped 
Gavia ; on  the  other  side,  and  more  inland,  the  Organ 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


47 


Mountains  lift  tlieir  singular  needle-like  points,  while 
within  the  entrance  rises  the  bare  bleak  rock  so  well 
known  as  the  Sugar  Loaf  (Pad  de  Assucar').  Were  it  not 
for  the  gateway  behind  us,  through  which  we  still  have  a 

* glimpse  of  the  open  ocean,  and  for  the  shipping  lying 
here  at  anchor,  leaving  the  port  or  entering  it,  we  might 

* easily  believe  that  we  were  floating  on  some  great  quiet 
sheet  of  inland  water. 

We  reached  our  anchorage  at  eleven  o’clock,  but  were 
in  no  haste  to  leave  the  ocean  home  where  we  have  been 
so  happy  and  so  comfortable  for  three  weeks  past  ; and 
as  the  captain  had  kindly  invited  us  to  stay  on  board  till 
our  permanent  arrangements  were  made,  we  remained  on 
deck,  greatly  entertained  by  all  the  stir  and  confusion 
attending  our  arrival.  Some  of  our  young  people  took 
one  of  the  many  boats  which  crowded  at  once  around 
our  steamer,  and  went  directly  to  the  city  ; but  we  were 
satisfied  with  the  impressions  of  the  day,  and  not  sorry 
to  leave  them  undisturbed.  As  night  came  on,  sunset 
lit  up  the  mountains  and  the  harbor.  In  this  latitude, 
however,  the  glory  of  the  twilight  is  soon  over,  and  as 
darkness  fell  upon  the  city  it  began  to  glitter  with  innu- 
merable lights  along  the  shore  and  on  the  hillsides. 
The  city  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  spreads  in  a kind  of  crescent 
shape  around  the  western  side  of  the  bay,  its  environs 
stretching  out  to  a considerable  distance  along  the  beaches, 
and  running  up  on  to  the  hills  behind  also. . On  account 
of  this  disposition  of  the  houses,  covering  a wide  area 
and  scattered  upon  the  water’s  edge,  instead  of  being 
compact  and  concentrated,  the  appearance  of  the  city  at 
night  is  exceedingly  pretty.  It  has  a kind  of  scenic  effect. 
The  lights  run  up  on  the  liill-slopes,  a little  cluster  crown- 


48 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


ing  their  summits  here  and  there,  and  they  glimmer  all 
along  the  shore  for  two  or  three  miles  on  either  side  of 
the  central,  business  part  of  the  town. 

Soon  after  our  arrival  Mr.  Agassiz  received  an  official 
visit  from  a custom-house  agent,  saying  that  he  had 
orders  to  land  all  our  baggage  without  examination,  and 
that  a boat  would  be  sent  at  any  day  and  hour  convenient 
to  him  to  bring  his  effects  on  shore.  This  was  a great 
relief,  as  the  scientific  apparatus,  added  to  the  personal 
luggage  of  so  large  a party,  makes  a fearful  array  of  boxes, 
cases,  &c.  It  would  be  a long  business  to  pass  it  all 
through  the  cumbrous  ceremonies  of  a custom-house. 
This  afternoon,  while  Mr.  Agassiz  had  gone  to  San  Chris- 
tovao*  to  acknowledge  this  courtesy  and  to  pay  his  respects 
to  the  Emperor,  we  were  wandering  over  a little  island 
( Ilha  das  Enxadas)  near  which  our  ship  lies,  and  from 
which  she  takes  in  coal  for  her  farther  voyage.  The 
proprietor,  besides  his  coal- wharf,  has  a very  pretty  house 
and  garden,  with  a small  chapel  adjoining.  It  was  my 
first  glimpse  of  tropical  vegetation  and  of  Brazilian  life, 
and  had  all  the  charm  of  novelty.  As  we  landed,  a group 
of  slaves,  black  as  ebony,  were  singing  and  dancing  a 
fandango.  So  far  as  we  could  understand,  there  was  a 
leader  who  opened  the  game  with  a sort  of  chant,  ap- 
parently addressed  to  each  in  turn  as  he  passed  around 
the  circle,  the  others  joining  in  chorus  at  regular  intervals. 
Presently  he  broke  into  a dance  which  rose  in  wildness 
and  excitement,  accompanied  by  cries  and  ejaculations. 
The  movements  of  the  body  were  a singular  combination 
of  negro  and  Spanish  dances.  The  legs  and  feet  had  the 
short,  jerking,  loose-jointed  motion  of  our  negroes  in 

* The  winter  palace  of  the  Emperor. 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


49 


dancing,  while  the  upper  part  of  the  body  and  the  arms 
had  that  swaying,  rhythmical  movement  from  side  to  side 
so  characteristic  of  all  the  Spanish  dances.  After  looking 
on  for  a while  we  went  into  the  garden,  where  there 
were  cocoanut  and  banana  trees  in  fruit,  passion-vines 
climbing  over  the  house,  with  here  and  there  a dark 
crimson  flower  gleaming  between  the  leaves.  The  effect 
was  pretty,  and  the  whole  scene  had,  to  my  eye,  an  aspect 
half  Southern,  half  Oriental.  It  was  nearly  dark  when 
we  returned  to  the  boat,  but  the  negroes  were  continuing 
their  dance  under  the  glow  of  a bonfire.  From  time  to 
time,  as  the  dance  reached  its  culminating  point,  they 
stirred  their  fire,  and  lighted  up  the  wild  group  with 
its  vivid  blaze.  The  dance  and  the  song  had,  like  the 
amusements  of  the  negroes  in  all  lands,  an  endless  mo- 
notonous repetition.  Looking  at  their  half-naked  figures 
and  unintelligent  faces,  the  question  arose,  so  constantly 
suggested  when  we  come  in  contact  with  this  race, 
“ What  will  they  do  with  this  great  gift  of  freedom  ?” 
The  only  corrective  for  the  half  doubt  is  to  consider  the 
whites  side  by  side  with  them : whatever  one  may  think 
of  the  condition  of  slavery  for  the  blacks,  there  can  be 
no  question  as  to  its  evil  effects  on  their  masters.  Captain 
Bradbury  asked  the  proprietor  of  the  island  whether  L^. 
hired  or  owned  his  slaves.  “ Own  them,  — a hundred  and 
more  ; but  it  will  finish  soon,”  he  answered  in  his  broken 
English.  “Finish  soon!  how  do  you  mean?”  “It  finish 
with  you  ; and  when  it  finish  with  you,  it  finish  here,  it 
finish  everywhere.”  He  said  it  not  in  any  tone  of  regret 
or  complaint,  but  as  an  inevitable  fact.  The  death-note 
of  slavery  in  the  United  States  was  its  death-note  every- 
where. We  thought  this  significant  and  cheering. 


50 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


April  24 th.  — To-day  we  ladies  went  on  shore  for  a few 
hours,  engaged  our  rooms,  and  drove  about  the  city  a little. 
The  want  of  cleanliness  and  thrift  in  the  general  aspect 
of  Rio  de  Janeiro  is  very  striking  as  compared  with  the 
order,  neatness,  and  regularity  of  our  large  towns.  The 
narrow  streets,  with  the  inevitable  gutter  running  down  the 
m idle,  — a sink  for  all  kinds  of  impurities,  — the  absence 
oi  a proper  sewerage,  the  general  aspect  of  decay  (partly 
due,  no  doubt,  to  the  dampness  of  the  climate),  the  indolent 
expression  of  the  people  generally,  make  a singular  im- 
pression on  one  who  comes  from  the  midst  of  our  stirring, 
energetic  population.  And  yet  it  has  a picturesqueness 
that,  to  the  traveller  at  least,  compensates  for  its  defects. 
All  who  have  seen  one  of  these  old  Portuguese  or  Spanish 
tropical  towns,  with  their  odd  narrow  streets  and  many- 
colored  houses  with  balconied  windows  and  stuccoed  or 
painted  walls,  only  the  more  variegated  from  the  fact 
that  here  and  there  the  stucco  has  peeled  off,  know  the 
fascination  and  the  charm  which  make  themselves  felt, 
spite  of  the  dirt  and  discomfort.  Then  the  groups  in  the 
street, — the  half-naked  black  carriers,  many  of  them 
straight  and  firm  as  bronze  statues  under  the  heavy  loads 
which  rest  *so  securely  on  their  heads,  the  padres  in  their 
long  coats  and  square  hats,  the  mules  laden  with  baskets 
of  fruit  or  vegetables,  — all  this  makes  a motley  scene, 
entertaining  enough  to  the  new-comer.  I have  never 
seen  such  effective-looking  negroes,  from  an  artistic  point 
of  view,  as  here.  To-day  a black  woman  passed  us  in 
the  street,  dressed  in  white,  with  bare  neck  and  arms, 
the  sleeves  caught  up  with  some  kind  of  armlet,  a large 
white  turban  of  soft  muslin  on  her  head,  and  a long 
bright-colored  shawl  passed  crosswise  under  one  arm  and 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


51 


thrown  over  the  other  shoulder,  hanging  almost  to  the 
feet  behind.  She  no  doubt  was  of  the  colored  gentry. 
Just  beyond  her  sat  a black  woman  on  the  curbstone, 
almost  without  clothing,  her  glossy  skin  shining  in  the 
sun,  and  her  naked  child  asleep  across  her  knees.  Or 
take  this  as  another  picture  : an  old  wall  several  feet  wide, 
covered  with  vines,  overhung  with  thick  foliage,  the  top 
of  which  seems  to  be  a stand  for  the  venders  of  fruits, 
vegetables,  &c.  Here  lies  at  full  length  a powerful  negro 
looking  over  into  the  street,  his  jetty  arms  crossed  on  a 
huge  basket  of  crimson  flowers,  oranges  and  bananas, 
against  which  he  half  rests,  seemingly  too  indolent  to  lift 
a finger  even  to  attract  a purchaser. 

April  2 hth.  — Nature  seems  to  welcome  our  arrival,  not 
only  by  her  most  genial,  but  also  by  her  exceptional  moods. 
There  has  been  to-day  an  eclipse  of  the  sun,  total  at 
Cape  Frio,  sixty  miles  from  here,  almost  total  here.  We 
saw  it  from  the  deck  of  the  ship,  not  having  yet  taken 
up  our  quarters  in  town.  The  effect  was  as  strange  as 
it  was  beautiful.  There  was  a something  weird,  uncanny 
in  the  pallor  and  chill  which  came  over  the  landscape ; 
it  was  not  in  the  least  like  a common  twilight,  but  had 
a ghastly,  phantom-like  element  in  it.  Mr.  Agassiz  passed 
the  morning  at  the  palace  where  the  Emperor  had  invited 
him  to  witness  the  eclipse  from  his  observatory.  The  clouds 
are  poor  courtiers,  however,  and  unfortunately  a mist  hung 
over  San  Christovao,  obscuring  the  phenomenon  at  the 
moment  of  its  greatest  interest.  Our  post  of  observation 
was  better  for  this  special  occasion  than  the  Imperial 
observatory,  and  yet,  though  the  general  scene  was  per- 
haps more  effective  in  the  harbor  than  on  the  shore,  Mr. 
Agassiz  had  an  opportunity  of  making  some  interesting 


52 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


observations  on  the  action  of  animals  under  these  novel 
circumstances.  The  following  extract  is  from  his  notes. 
“ The  effect  of  the  waning  light  on  animals  was  very 
striking.  The  bay  of  Rio  is  daily'  frequented  by  large  num- 
bers of  frigate-birds  and  gannets,  which  at  night  fly  to  the 
outer  islands  to  roost,  while  the  carrion-crows  ( urubus ) 
swarming  in  the  suburbs,  and  especially  about  the  slaughter- 
houses of  the  city,  retire  to  the  mountains  in  the  neighbor 
hood  of  Tijuca,  their  line  of  travel  passing  over  San  Christo- 
vao.  As  soon  as  the  light  began  to  diminish,  these  birds 
became  uneasy  ; evidently  conscious  that  their  day  was 
strangely  encroached  upon,  they  were  uncertain  for  a mo- 
ment how  to  act.  Presently,  however,  as  the  darkness  in- 
creased, they  started  for  their  usual  night  quarters,  the  water- 
birds  flying  southward,  the  vultures  in  a northwesterly  di- 
rection, and  they  had  all  left  their  feeding-grounds  before  the 
moment  of  greatest  obscurit}^  arrived.  They  seemed  to  fly 
in  all  haste,  but  were  not  half-way  to  their  night  home  when 
the  light  began  to  return  with  rapidly  increasing  brightness. 
Their  confusion  was  now  at  its  height.  Some  continued 
their  flight  towards  the  mountains  or  the  harbor,  others 
hurried  back  to  the  city,  while  others  whirled  about  wholly 
uncertain  what  to  do  next.  The  re-establishment  of  the 
full  light  of  noon  seemed  to  decide  them,  however,  upon 
making  another  day  of  it,  and  the  whole  crowd  once  more 
moved  steadily  toward  the  city.” 

The  cordial  interest  shown  by  the  Emperor  in  all  the 
objects  of  the  present  expedition  is  very  encouraging  to 
Mr.  Agassiz.  So  liberal  a spirit  in  the  head  of  the  govern- 
ment will  make  his  own  task  comparatively  easy.  He  has 
also  seen  several  official  persons  on  business  appertaining 
to  his  scientific  schemes.  Everywhere  he  receives  the 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


53 


warmest  expressions  of  sympathy,  and  is  assured  that  the 
administration  will  give  him  every  facility  in  its  power 
to  carry  out  his  plans.  To-night  finds  us  established  in 
our  rooms,  and  our  Brazilian  life  begins  ; with  what  suc- 
cess remains  to  be  seen.  While  still  on  board  the  “ Colo- 
rado” we  seemed  to  have  one  foot  on  our  own  soil. 

April  2 6th.  — This  morning  Mrs.  C and  myself  • 

devoted  to  the  arranging  of  our  little  domestic  matters, 
getting  out  our  books,  desks,  and  other  knickknacks,  and 
making  ourselves  at  home  in  our  new  quarters,  where 
we  suppose  we  are  likely  to  be  for  some  weeks  to  come. 
This  afternoon  we  drove  out  on  the  Larangeiras  road 
(literally,  the  “orangery”).  Our  first  drive  in  Rio  left 
upon  my  mind  an  impression  of  picturesque  decay  ; things 
seemed  falling  to  pieces,  it  is  true,  but  mindful  of  artistic 
effect  even  in  their  last  moments.  This  impression  was 
quite  effaced  to-day.  Every  city  has  its  least  becoming 
aspect,  and  it  seems  we  had  chosen  an  unfavorable  direction 
for  our  first  tour  of  observation.  The  Larangeiras  road  is 
lined  on  either  side  by  a succession  of  country  houses ; 
low  and  spreading,  often  with  wide  verandas,  surrounded 
by  beautiful  gardens,  glowing  at  this  season  with  the  scarlet 
leaves  of  the  Poinsettia,  or  “Estrella  do  Norte”  as  they 
call  it  here,  with  blue  and  yellow  Bignonias,  and  many  other 
shrubs  and  vines,  the  names  of  which  we  have  hardly 
learned  as  yet.  Often,  as  we  drove  along,  a wide  gateway, 
opening  into  an  avenue  of  palms,  would  give  us  a glimpse 
of  Brazilian  life.  Here  and  there  a group  of  people  were 
sitting  in  the  garden,  or  children  were  playing  in  the 
grounds  under  the  care  of  their  black  nurses.  Farther 
out  of  town  the  country  houses  were  less  numerous,  but 
the  scenery  was  more  picturesque.  The  road  winds,  im 


54 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


mediately  under  the  mountains  to  the  foot  of  the  Cor- 
covado,  where  it  becomes  too  steep  for. carriages,  the  farther 
ascent  being  made  on  mules  or  horses.  But  it  was  too  late 
for  us,  — the  peak  of  the  Corcovado  was  already  bathed  in 
the  setting  sun.  We  wandered  a little  way  up  the  ro- 
mantic path,  gathered  a few  flowers,  and  then  drove  back 
•to  the  city,  stopping  on  our  return  to  ramble  for  half  an  hour 
in  the  “ Passeio  Publico.”  This  is  a pretty  public  garden 
on  the  bay,  not  large  but  tastefully  laid  out,  its  great 
charm  being  a broad  promenade  built  up  from  the  water’s 
edge  with  very  solid  masonry,  against  which  the  waves 
break  with  a refreshing  coolness.  To-morrow  we  are  in- 
vited by  Major  Ellison,  chief  engineer  of  the  Dom  Pedro 
Railroad,  to  go  out  to  the  terminus  of  the  road,  some  hun- 
dred miles  through  the  heart  of  the  Serra  do  Mar. 

April  ‘Nth.  — Perhaps  in  all  our  journeyings  through 
Brazil  we  shall  not  have  a day  more  impressive  to  us  all 
than  this  one  ; we  shall,  no  doubt,  see  wilder  scenery, 
but  the  first  time  that  one  looks  upon  nature,  under  an 
entirely  new  aspect,  has  a charm  that  can  hardly  be  re- 
peated. The  first  view  of  high  mountains,  the  first  glimpse 
of  the  broad  ocean,  the  first  sight  of  a tropical  vegetation 
in  all  its  fulness,  are  epochs  in  one’s  life.  This  wonderful 
South  American  forest  is  so  matted  together  and  inter- 
twined with  gigantic  parasites  that  it  seems  more  like  a 
solid,  compact  mass  of  green  than  like  the  leafy  screen, 
vibrating  with  every  breeze  and  transparent  to  the  sun, 
which  represents  the  forest  in  the  temperate  zone.  Many 
of  the  trees  in  the  region  we  passed  through  to-day  seemed 
in  the  embrace  of  immense  serpents,  so  large  were  the 
stems  of  the  parasites  winding  about  them  ; orchids  of 
various  kinds  and  large  size  grew  upon  their  trunks ; and 


TREE  ENTWINED  BY  SIPOS. 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


55 


vines  climbed  to  their  summits  and  threw  themselves 
down  in  garlands  to  the  ground.  On  the  embankments 
also  between  which  we  passed,  vines  of  many  varieties 
were  creeping  down,  as  if  they  would  fain  clothe  in  green 
garments  the  ugly  gaps  the  railroad  had  made.  Yet  it 
must  be  confessed  that,  in  this  instance,  the  railroad  has 
not  destroyed,  but  rather  heightened,  the  picturesque  scen- 
ery, cutting,  as  it  does,  through  passes  which  give  beauti- 
ful vistas  into  the  heart  of  the  mountain  range.  Once,  as 
we  issued  from  a tunnel,  where  the  darkness  seemed  tan- 
gible, upon  an  exquisite  landscape  all  gleaming  in  the 
sunshine,  a general  shout  from  the  whole  party  testified 
their  astonishment  and  admiration.  We  were  riding  on 
an  open  car  in  front  of  the  engine,  so  that  nothing  im- 
peded our  view,  and  we  had  no  inconvenience  from  smoke 
or  cinders.  During  the  latter  part  of  the  ride  we  came 
into  the  region  of  the  most  valuable  coffee-plantations ; 
and  indeed  the  road  is  chiefly  supported  by  the  transpor- 
tation of  the  immense  quantities  of  coffee  raised  along  its 
track  or  beyond  it.  Near  its  terminus  is  an  extensive 
fazenda,  from  which  we  were  told  that  five  or  six  hun- 
dred tons  of  coffee  are  sent  out  in  a good  year.  These 
fazendas  are  singular-looking  establishments,  low  (usually 
only  one  story)  and  very  spreading,  the  largest  of  them 
covering  quite  an  extensive  area.  As  they  are  rather 
isolated  in  situation,  they  must  include  within  their  own 
borders  all  that  is  needed  to  keep  them  up.  There  is 
something  very  primitive  in  the  way  of  life  of  these 
great  country  proprietors,  Major  Ellison  told  me  that 
some  time  ago  a wealthy  Marqueza  living  at  some  dis- 
tance beyond  him  in  the  interior,  and  going  to  town  for 
a stay  of  a few  weeks,  stopped  at  his  house  to  rest* 


56 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


She  had  a troop  of  thirty-one  pack-mules,  laden  with  all 
conceivable  baggage,  besides  provisions  of  every  sort,  fowls, 
hams,  <fcc.,  and  a train  of  twenty-five  servants.  Their  hos- 
pitality is  said  to  be  unbounded ; you  have  only  to  present 
yourself  at  their  gates  at  the  end  of  a day’s  journey,  and 
if  you  have  the  air  of  a respectable  traveller,  you  are  sure 
of  a hearty  welcome,  shelter  and  food.  The  card  of  a 
friend  or  a note  of  introduction  insures  you  all  the  house 
can  afford  for  as  long  as  you  like  to  stay. 

The  last  three  miles  of  our  journey  was  over  what  is 
called  the  “ temporary  road,”  the  use  of  which  will  be 
discontinued  as  soon  as  the  great  tunnel  is  completed. 
I must  say,  that  to  the  inexperienced  this  road  looks  ex- 
ceedingly perilous,  especially  that  part  of  it  which  is 
carried  over  a wooden  bridge  65  feet  high,  with  a very 
strong  curvature  and  a gradient  of  4 per  cent  (211  feet 
per  mile).  As  you  feel  the  engine  laboring  up  the  steep 
ascent,  and,  looking  out,  find  yourself  on  the  edge  of  a 
precipitous  bank,  and  almost  face  to  face  with  the  hindmost 
car,  while  the  train  bends  around  the  curve,  it  is  difficult 
to  resist  the  sense  of  insecurity.  It  is  certainly  greatly 
to  the  credit  of  the  management  of  the  line  that  no 
accident  has  occurred  under  circumstances  where  the  least 
carelessness  would  be  fatal.* 

It  gives  one  an  idea  of  the  labor  expended  on  this 
railroad,  to  learn  that  for  the  great  tunnel  alone,  now 
almost  completed  (one  of  fourteen),  a corps  of  some  three 

* Some  weeks  after  this  I chanced  to  ask  a beautiful  young  Brazilian 
woman,  recently  married,  whether  she  had  ever  been  over  this  temporary 
road  for  the  sake  of  seeing  the  picturesque  scenery.  “No,”  she  answered 
with  perfect  seriousness,  “ I am  young  and  very  happy,  and  I do  not  wish 
to  die  yet.”  It  was  an  amusing  comment  on  the  Brazilian  estimate  of  the 
dangers  attending  the  journey. 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


57 


hundred  men,  relieving  each  other  alternately,  have  been 
at  work  day  and  night,  excepting  Sundays,  for  seven 
years*  The  sound  of  hammer  and  pick  during  that  time 
has  hardly  ever  been  still,  and  so  hard  is  the  rock  through 
which  the  tunnel  is  pierced,  that  often  the  heaviest  blows 
of  the  sledge  yield  only  a little  dust,  — no  more  in  bulk 
than  a pinch  of  snuff.* 

On  our  return  we  were  detained  for  half  an  hour  at 
a station  on  the  bank  of  the  river  Parahyba.  This  first 
visit  to  one  of  the  considerable  rivers  of  Brazil  was  not 
without  its  memorable  incident.  One  of  our  friends  of 
the  Colorado,  who  parts  from  us  here  on  his  way  to  San 
Francisco,  said  he  was  determined  not  to  leave  the  expe- 

* This  road,  which  is  but  the  beginning  of  railroad  travel  in  Brazil, 
opens  a rich  prospect  for  scientific  study.  From  this  time  forward  the  difficulty 
of  transporting  collections  from  the  interior  to  the  seaboard  will  he  diminish- 
ing. Instead  of  the  few  small  specimens  of  tropical  vegetation  now  preserved 
in  our  museums,  I hope  that  hereafter,  in  every  school  where  geology  and 
palaeontology  are  taught,  we  shall  have  large  stems  and  portions  of  trunks 
to  show  the  structure  of  palms,  tree-ferns,  and  the  like,  — trees  which  represent 
in  modern  times  the  ancient  geological  forests.  The  time  is  coming  when  our 
text-books  of  botany  and  zoology  will  lose  their  local,  limited  character,  and 
present  comprehensive  pictures  of  Nature  in  all  her  phases.  Then  only  will 
it  be  possible  to  make  true  and  pertinent  comparisons  between  the  condi- 
tion of  the  earth  in  former  times  and  its  present  aspect  under  different  zones 
and  climates.  To  this  day  the  fundamental  principle  guiding  our  identification 
of  geological  formations  in  different  ages  rests  upon  the  assumption  that  each 
period  has  had  one  character  throughout ; whereas,  the  progress  of  geology  is 
daily  pressing  upon  us  the  evidence  that  at  each  period  different  latitudes  and 
different  continents  have  always  had  their  characteristic  animals  and  plants,  if 
not  as  diversified  as  now,  at  least  varied  enough  to  exclude  the  idea  of  uni- 
formity. Not  only  do  I look  for  a vast  improvement  in  our  collections  with 
improved  methods  of  travel  and  transportation  in  Brazil,  but  I hope  that 
scientific  journeys  in  the  tropics  will  cease  to  be  occasional  events  in  the 
progress  and  civilization  of  nations,  and  will  be  as  much  within  the  reach  of 
every  student  as  journeys  in  the  temperate  zone  have  hitherto  been.  For  fur- 
ther  details  respecting  the  building  of  this  road,  see  Appendix  No.  IV. — L A 


58 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


dition  without  contributing  something  to  its  results.  He 
improvised  a fishing  apparatus,  with  a stick,  a string,  and 
a crooked  pin,  and  caught  two  fishes,  our  first  harvest 
from  the  fresh  waters  of  Brazil,  one  of  which  was  en- 
tirely new  to  Mr.  Agassiz,  while  the  other  he  had  never 
seen,  and  only  knew  from  descriptions. 

April  28 th.  — This  morning  we  went  over  to  the  Colorado, 
which  still  lies  in  the  harbor,  and  where  the  visit  of  the 
Emperor  was  expected.  We  all  felt  an  interest  in  the 
occasion,  for  we  have  a kind  of  personal  pride  in  the 
fine  ship  whose  first  voyage  has  been  the  source  of  so 
much  enjoyment  to  us.  The  Imperial  yacht  arrived  punc- 
tually at  twelve  o’clock,  and  was  received  by  the  captain 
with  a full  salute  from  his  Parrott  guns,  fired  with  a prompt- 
ness and  accuracy  which  the  Emperor  did  not  fail  to  notice. 
His  Majesty  went  over  the  whole  steamer ; and  really  an 
exploring  expedition  over f such  a world  in  little,  with  its 
provision-shops,  its  cattle  stalls,  its  pantries  and  sculleries, 
its  endless  accommodations  for  passengers  and  freight,  its 
variety  of  decks  and  its  great  central  fires,  deep  below 
all,  is  no  contemptible  journey  for  a tropical  morning. 
The  arrangements  of  the  vessel  seemed  to  excite  the  in- 
terest and  admiration  both  of  the  Emperor  and  his  suite. 
Captain  Bradbury  invited  his  Majesty  to  lunch  on  board ; 
he  very  cordially  accepted,  and  remained  some  time  after- 
ward, conversing  chiefly  about  scientific  subjects,  and  es- 
pecially on  matters  connected  with  the  expedition.  The 
Emperor  is  still  a young  man  ; but  though  only  forty, 
he  has  been  the  reigning  sovereign  of  Brazil  for  more  than 
half  that  time,  and  he  looks  careworn  and  somewhat  older 
than  his  years.  He  has  a dignified,  manly  presence,  a face 
rather  stern  in  repose,  but  animated  and  genial  in  conversa- 
tion ; his  manner  is  courteous  and  friendly  to  all. 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


59 


May  ls£. — We  celebrated  May-day  in  a strange  land, 
where  May  ushers  in  the  winter,  by  driving  to  the  Botanical 
Garden.  When  I say  we , I mean  usually  the  unprofessional 
members  of  the  party.  The  scientific  corps  are  too  busily 
engaged  to  be  with  us  on  many  of  our  little  pleasure 
excursions.  Mr.  Agassiz  himself  is  chiefly  occupied  in 
seeing  numerous  persons  in  official  positions,  whose  influ- 
ence is  important  in  matters  relative  to  the  expedition. 
He  is  very  anxious  to  complete  these  necessary  prelimi- 
naries, to  despatch  his  various  parties  into  the  interior,  and 
to  begin  his  personal  investigations.  He  is  commended  to 
be  patient,  however,  and  not  to  fret  at  delays ; for,  with  the 
best  will  in  the  world,  the  dilatory  national  habits  cannot 
be  changed.  Meanwhile  he  has  improvised  a laboratory  in 
a large  empty  room  over  a warehouse  in  the  Rua  Direita, 
the  principal  business  street  of  the  city.  Here  in  one 
corner  the  ornithologists,  Mr.  Dexter  and  Mr.  Allen,  have 
their  bench,  — a rough  board  propped  on  two  casks,  the 
seat  an  empty  keg  ; in  another,  Mr.  Anthony,  with  an 
apparatus  of  much  the  same  kind,  pores  over  his  shells  ; 
a dissecting-table  of  like  carpentry  occupies  a conspicuous 
position ; and  in  the  midst  the  Professor  may  generally  be 
seen  sitting  on  a barrel,  for  chairs  there  are  none,  assorting 
or  examining  specimens,  or  going  from  bench  to  bench  to 
see  how  the  work  progresses.  In  the  midst  of  the  confusion 
Mr.  Burkhardt  has  his  little  table,  where  he  is  making 
colored  drawings  of  the  fish  as  they  are  brought  in  fresh 
from  the  fishing-boats.  In  a small  adjoining  room  Mr. 
Sceva  is  preparing  skeletons  for  mounting.  Every  one,  in 
short,  has  his  special  task  and  is  busily  at  work.  A very 
questionable  perfume,  an  “ ancielit  and  fish-like  smell,' ’ 
strongly  tinged  with  alcohol,  guides  one  to  this  abode  of 


60 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Science,  where,  notwithstanding  its'  unattractive  aspect, 
Mr.  Agassiz  receives  many  visitors,  curious  to  see  the 
actual  working  process  of  a laboratory  of  Natural  History, 
and  full  of  interest  in  the  expedition.  Here  also  pour  in 
specimens  from  all  quarters  and  of  every  kind ; voluntary 
contributions,  which  daily  swell  the  collections.*  Those  of 
the  party  who  are  not  engaged  here  have  their  work  else- 
where. Mr.  Hartt  and  Mr.  St.  John  are  at  various  stations 
along  the  railroad  line,  making  geological  sections  of  the 
road  ; several  of  the  volunteers  are  collecting  in  the 
country,  and  Mr.  H unne well  is  studying  at  a photograph- 
ic establishment,  fitting  himself  to  assist  Mr.  Agassiz  in 
this  way  when  we  are  beyond  the  reach  of  professional 
artists. 

Our  excursion  of  to-day  took  us  to  another  of  those 
exquisite  drives  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city,  always 
along  the  harbor  or  some  inlet  of  it,  always  in  sight  of 
the  mountains,  always  bordered  by  pretty  country  houses 
and  gardens.  The  Botanical  Garden  is  about  eight  miles 
from  the  centre  of  the  town.  It  is  beautiful,  because  the 
situation  is  admirably  well  chosen,  and  because  anything 

* Among  the  frequent  visitors  at  the  laboratory,  -and  one  to  whom  Mr. 
Agassiz  was  indebted  for  most  efficient  aid  in  making  his  collection  of  fishes 
from  the  harbor  of  Rio,  was  our  friend  Dr.  Pacheco  de  Silva,  who  never  lost 
an  opportunity  of  paying  us  all  sorts  of  friendly  attentions.  He  added  quite 
a number  of  luxuries  to  the  working-room  described  above.  Another  friend 
who  was  often  at  the  laboratory  was  Dr.  Nageli.  Notwithstanding  his  large 
practice,  he  found  time  to  assist  Mr.  Agassiz  not  only  with  collections  but 
with  drawings  of  various  specimens.  Being  himself  an  able  naturalist,  his 
co-operation  was  very  valuable.  The  collections  were  indeed  enriched  by 
contributions  from  so  many  sources  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  enumerate 
them  all  here.  In  the  more  technical  reports  of  the  expedition  all  such  gifts 
are  recorded,  with  the  names  of  those  persons  from  whom  the  specimens 
were  received. 


SIDE  VIEW  OF  THE  ALLEY  OF  PALMS. 


VISTA  DOWN  THE  ALLEY  OF  PALMS. 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


61 


that  calls  itself  a garden  can  hardly  fail  to  be  beautiful 
in  a climate  where  growth  is  so  luxuriant.  But  it  is 
not  kept  with  great  care.  Indeed,  the  very  readiness  with 
which  plants  respond  to  the  least  culture  bestowed  upon 
them  here  makes  it  very  difficult  to  keep  grounds  in  that 
trim  order  which  we  think  so  essential.  This  garden  boasts, 
however,  one  feature  as  unique  as  it  is  beautiful,  in  its  long 
avenue  of  palms,  some  eighty  feet  in  height.  I wish  it  were 
possible  to  give  in  words  the  faintest  idea  of  the  archi- 
tectural beauty  of  this  colonnade  of  palms,  with  their 
green  crowns  meeting  to  form  the  roof.  Straight,  firm, 
and  smooth  as  stone  columns,  a dim  vision  of  colonnades 
in  some  ancient  Egyptian  temple  rises  to  the  imagination 
as  one  looks  down  the  long  vista.* 

May  6th. — Yesterday,  at  the  invitation  of  our  friend 
Mr.  B , we  ascended  the  famous  Corcovado  peak.  Leav- 

ing the  carriages  at  the  terminus  of  the  Larangeiras  road, 
we  made  the  farther  ascent  on  horseback  by  a winding 
narrow  path,  which,  though  a very  fair  road  for  mountain 
travelling  in  ordinary  weather,  had  been  made  exceedingly 
slippery  by  the  late  rains.  The  ride  was  lovely  through 
the  fragrant  forest,  with  enchanting  glimpses  of  view  here 
and  there,  giving  promise  of  what  was  before  us.  Occa- 
sionally a brook  or  a little  cascade  made  pleasant  music  by 
the  roadside,  and  when  we  stopped  to  rest  our  horses  we 
heard  the  wind  rustle  softly  in  the  stiff  palms  overhead. 
The  beauty  of  vegetation  is  enhanced  here  by  the  singular 
character  of  the  soil.  The  color  of  the  earth  is  peculiar 
all  about  Rio  ; of  a rich  warm  red,  it  seems  to  glow 
beneath  the  mass  of  vines  and  large-leaved  plants  above 
it,  and  every  now  and  then  crops  out  in  vivid,  striking 

* The  palm  is  the  beautiful  Oreodoxa  oleracea. 


62 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


contrast  to  the  surrounding  verdure.  Frequently  our  path 
followed  the  base  of  such  a bank,  its  deep  ochre  and  ver- 
milion tints  looking  all  the  softer  for  their  framework 
of  green.  Among  the  larger  growth,  the  Candelabra-tree 
{Cecropia)  was  conspicuous.  The  strangely  regular  struc- 
ture of  the  branches  and  its  silvery- tinted  foliage  make  it 
stand  out  in  bold  relief  from  the  darker  background.  It 
is  a striking  feature  of  the  forest  in  this  neighborhood. 

A wide  panoramic  prospect  always  eludes  description,  but 
certainly  few  can  combine  such  rare  elements  of  beauty  as 
the  one  from  the  summit  of  the  Corcovado.  The  immense 
landlocked  harbor,  with  its  gateway  open  to  the  sea,  the 
broad  ocean  beyond,  the  many  islands,  the  circle  of  moun- 
tains with  soft  fleecy  clouds  floating  about  the  nearer  peaks, 
— all  these  features  make  a wonderful  picture.  One  great 
charm  of  this  landscape  consists  in  the  fact,  that,  though 
very  extensive,  it  is  not  so  distant  as  to  deprive  objects 
of  their  individuality.  After  all,  a very  distant  view  is 
something  like  an  inventory  : so  many  dark,  green  patches, 
forests  ; so  many  lighter  green  patches,  fields  ; so  many 
white  spots,  lakes  ; so  many  silver  threads,  rivers,  &c. 
But  here  special  effects  are  not  lost  in  the  grandeur  of 
the  whole.  On  the  extreme  peak  of  the  height  a wall 
has  been  built  around  the  edge,  the  descent  on  one  side 
being  so  vertical  that  a false  step  might  hurl  one  to  instant 
destruction.  At  this  wall  we  dismounted  and  lingered  long, 
unwilling  to  leave  the  beautiful  view  before  sunset.  We 
were,  however,  anxious  to  return  by  daylight,  and,  to 
confess  the  truth,  being  a timorous  and  inexperienced 
rider  at  best,  I was  not  without  some  anxiety  as  to  the 
descent,  for  the  latter  part  of  the  slippery  road  had  been 
a sheer  scramble.  Putting  a bold  face  on  the  matter, 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


63 


however,  I resumed  my  seat,  trying  to  look  as  if  it  were 
my  habit  to  mount  horses  on  the  tops  of  high  mountains 
and  slide  down  to  the  bottom.  This  is  really  no  inaccurate 
description  of  our  descent  for  the  first  ten  minutes,  after 
which  we  regained  the  more  level  path  at  the  little  station 
called  “ the  PaVneiras.”  We  are  told  to-day  that  parties 
usually  leave  their  horses  at  this  station  and  ascend  the 
rest  of  the  way  on  foot,  the  road  beyond  that  being  so 
steep  that  it  is  considered  unsafe  for  riding.  However, 
we  reached  the  plain  without  accident,  and  I look  back 
upon  yesterday’s  ride  with  some  complacency  as  a first 
lesson  in  mountain  travelling.* 

May  20 th.  — On  Friday,  the  12th  of  May,  we  left  Rio  on 
our  first  excursion  of  any  length.  A day  or  two  after  our 
arrival  Mr.  Agassiz  had  received  an  invitation  from  the 
President  of  the  Union  and  Industry  Company  to  go  with 
some  of  his  party  over  their  road  from  Petropolis  to  Juiz 
de  Fora,  in  the  Province  of  Minas  Geraes,  a road  celebrated 
not  only  for  the  beauty  of  its  scenery,  but  also  for  its  own 
excellence.  A word  as  to  the  circumstances  under  which  it 
has  been  built  may  not  be  amiss  here  ; and  it  must  be 
confessed,  that,  if  the  Brazilians  are,  as  they  are  said  to 
be,  slow  in  their  progress,  the  improvements  they  do  un- 
dertake are  carried  out  with  great  thoroughness.  It  is 
true  that  the  construction  of  the  road  has  been  intrusted 
to  French  engineers,  but  the  leading  man  in  its  projec- 
tion and  ultimate  completion  has  been  a Brazilian,  Senhor 

* Leuzinger’s  admirable  photographs  of  the  scenery  about  the  Corcovado, 
as  well  as  from  Petropolis,  the  Organ  Mountains,  and  the  neighborhood  of 
Rio  generally,  may  now  be  had  in  the  print-shops  of  Boston  and  New  York. 
I am  the  more  desirous  to  make  this  fact  known  as  I am  indebted  to  Mr. 
Leuzinger  for  very  generous  assistance  in  the  illustration  of  scientific  ob- 
jects.— L.  A. 


64 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Mariano  Procopio  Ferreira  Lage,  a native  of  the  province 
of  Minas  Geraes.  This  province  is  said  to  be  remarkable 
for  the  great  energy  and  intelligence  of  its  inhabitants, 
as  compared  with  those  of  the  adjoining  provinces.  Per- 
haps this  may  be  owing  to  its  cooler  climate,  most  of  its 
towns  lying  among  the  highlands  of  the  Serras,  and  en- 
joying a fresher,  more  stimulating  air  than  those  nearer 
the  sea-coast.  Before  undertaking  the  building  of  this 
road,  Senhor  Lage  travelled  both  in  Europe  and  America 
with  the  purpose  of  learning  all  the  modern  improvements 
in  works  of  a similar  character.  The  result  bears  testimony 
to  the  energy  and  patience  with  which  he  has  carried  out 
his  project.*  Twelve  years  ago  the  only  means  of  going 
into  the  interior  from  Petropolis  was  through  narrow, 
dangerous,  broken  mule-tracks,  and  a journey  of  a hundred 
miles  involved  a difficult  ride  of  three  or  four  days.  Now 
one  travels  from  Petropolis  to  Juiz  de  Fora  between  sunrise 
and  sunset  over  a post-road  equal  to  any  in  the  world, 
changing  mules  every  ten  or  twelve  miles  at  pretty  little 
stations,  built  somewhat  in  the  style  of  Swiss  chalets, 
each  one  of  which  is  a settlement  for  the  German  colonists 
who  have  been  induced  to  come  out  as  workmen  on  the 
road.  This  emigration  in  itself  is  a great  advantage  to 
the  country  ; wherever  these  little  German  villages  occur, 
nestled  down  among  the  hills,  there  are  the  neat  vege- 
table and  flower  gardens,  the  tidy  houses,  the  general 
aspect  of  thrift  and  comfort,  so  characteristic  of  the  better 
classes  of  the  German  peasantry.  Nominally  no  slaves  are 

* A commemorative  tablet,  set  in  the  rocks  on  the  dividing  line  between 
the  provinces  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  and  Minas  Geraes,  recording  the  speech 
of  the  Emperor  on  the  occasion  of  the  opening  of  the  road,  testifies  the 
appreciation  in  which  this  undertaking  was  held  by  the  government  of  Brazil. 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


65 


allowed  on  the  service  of  the  road,  Portuguese  and  German 
workmen  being  chiefly  employed.  This  is  a regulation 
which  applies  not  only  here,  but  on  other  public  works 
about  Rio.  The  contracts  granted  by  the  government 
expressly  exclude  the  employment  of  slaves,  though  un- 
fortunately this  rule  is  not  adhered  to  strictly,  because 
for  the  performance  of  certain  kinds  of  work  no  substitute 
for  slave  labor  has  yet  been  found.  In  the  direct  care 
of  the  road,  however,  in  the  repairs,  for  instance,  re- 
quiring gangs  of  men  who  are  constantly  at  work  blasting 
rock  and  cracking  the  fragments  into  small  pieces  for  the 
fresh  macadamizing  of  any  imperfect  spot,  mending  any 
defects  in  the  embankments  or  walls,  &c.,  none  but  free 
labor  is  employed. 

This  attempt  to  exclude  slaves  from  the  public  works 
is  an  emancipation  movement,  undertaken  with  the  idea 
of  gradually  limiting  slave  labor  to  agricultural  processes, 
and  ridding  the  large  cities  and  their  neighborhood  of 
the  presence  of  slavery.  The  subject  of  emancipation  is 
no  such  political  bugbear  here  as  it  has  been  with  us.  It 
is  very  liberally  and  calmly  discussed  by  all  classes ; the 
general  feeling  is  against  the  institution,  and  it  seems  to 
be  taken  for  granted  that  it  will  disappear  before  many 
years  are  over.  During  this  very  session  of  the  Assem- 
bly one  or  two  bills  for  emancipation  have  been  brought 
forward.  Even  now  any  enterprising  negro  may  obtain 
his  freedom,  and,  once  obtained,  there  is  no  obstacle  to 
his  rising  in  social  or  political  station.  But  while  from 
this  point  of  view  slavery  is  less  absolute  than  it  was 
with  us,  it  has  some  appalling  aspects.  The  slaves,  at 
least  in  the  cities,  are  literally  beasts  of  burden.  One 
sees  the  most  cumbersome  furniture,  — pianos  and  the  like, 

5 


66 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


and  the  heaviest  trunks  or  barrels,  piled  one  on  top  of 
the  other,  or  bales  of  sugar  and  coffee  weighing  hundreds 
of  pounds,  — moving  about  the  streets  on  the  heads  of  the 
negroes.  The  result  of  this  is  that  their  limbs  often 
become  crippled,  and  it  is  common  to  see  negroes  in  the 
prime  of  life  who  are  quite  crooked  and  maimed,  and 
can  hardly  walk  without  a stick  to  lean  upon.  In  justice 
1 must  add,  however,  that  this  practice,  though  it  shocks 
a stranger  even  now,  is  gradually  disappearing.  We  are 
told  that  a few  years  ago  there  were  hardly  any  baggage- 
wagons  except  these  living  ones,  and  that  the  habit  of 
using  the  blacks  in  this  way  is  going  out  of  vogue.  In 
this  as  in  other  matters  the  Emperor’s  opinions  are  those 
of  an  enlightened  and  humane  man,  and  were  his  power 
equal  to  his  will,  slavery  would  vanish  from  his  dominions 
at  once.  He  is,  however,  too  wise  not  to  know  that  all 
great  social  changes  must  be  gradual  ; but  he  openly 
declares  his  abhorrence  of  the  system.* 

But  to  return  from  this  digression  to  the  road  of  the 
Union  and  Industry  Company.  It  is  now  completed  as 
far  as  Juiz  de  Fora,  affording  every  convenience  for  the 
transport  of  the  rich  harvest  of  coffee  constantly  travelling 
over  it  from  all  the  fazendas  in  the  region.  As  the  whole 
district  is  very  rich  in  coffee-plantations,  the  improvement 
in  the  means  of  transportation  is  of  course  very  im- 
portant to  the  commercial  interests  of  the  country,  and 

* Since  this  was  written  the  Emperor,  at  a large  pecuniary  sacrifice,  has 
liberated  all  the  slaves  belonging  to  the  property  of  the  crown,  and  a general 
6cheme  of  emancipation  has  been  announced  by  the  Brazilian  government, 
the  wisdom,  foresight,  and  benevolence  of  which  can  hardly  be  too  highly 
praised.  If  this  be  adopted,  slavery  in  Brazil  will  disappear  within  the 
century  by  a gradual  process,  involving  no  violent  convulsion,,  and  perilling 
neither  the  safety  of  the  slave  nor  the  welfare  of  his  master. 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


67 


Senhor  Lage  is  making  practicable  roads  to  the  smallest 
settlements  in  his  neighborhood.  He  has  not,  however, 
been  free  from  the  difficulties  which  men  encounter  whose 
schemes  are  in  advance  of  their  surroundings.  No  doubt 
a great  part  of  the  dissatisfaction  is  owing  to  the  fact  that 
the  road  is  not  so  remunerative  as  was  anticipated,  the 
advance  of  the  Dom  Pedro  Railroad  having  impaired  its 
success.  Still  it  must  be  considered  as  a monument  to 
the  public  spirit  and  energy  of  the  men  who  undertook  it. 
Not  wishing  to  interrupt  the  course  of  the  narrative,  I have 
thought  it  best  to  preface  the  story  of  our  journey  by  some 
account  of  this  road,  the  building  of  which  is  a significant 
fact  in  the  present  history  of  Brazil.  I will  now  take  up 
again  the  thread  of  our  personal  adventures. 

Leaving  the  city  at  two  o’clock  in  the  ferry-boat,  we 
kept  up  the  harbor  some  fifteen  miles.  There  was  a cool 
breeze,  and  the  day,  though  warm,  was  not  oppressive. 
Passing  the  large  Ilha  do  Governador,  the  smaller  but 
exceedingly  pretty  island  of  Paqueta,  and  many  others, 
with  their  palms,  banana  and  acacia  trees,  dotting  the 
harbor  of  Rio  and  adding  another  grace  to  its  beauty, 
we  landed  in  about  an  hour  and  a quarter  at  the  little 
town  of  Maua.*  Here  we  took  the  cars,  and  an  hour’s 
ride  through  low  and  marshy  grounds  brought  us  to  the 
foot  of  the  Serra  ( Raiz  da  Serra'),  where  we  left  the  rail- 
road for  the  post-coach,  which  runs  regularly  from  this 
station.  The  drive  was  delightful,  in  an  open  diligence 
drawn  by  four  mules  on  the  full  gallop  over  a road  as 
smooth  as  a floor.  It  wound  zigzag  up  the  mountains, 

* To  the  Baron  de  Maua,  a leader  in  the  great  improvements  now  going  on 
m Brazil,  the  citizens  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  owe  their  prearnt  convenient  road  to 
Petropolis,  their  favorite  summer  residence. 


68 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


through  the  wildest  scenery,  while  below  us  lay  the  valley 
broken  into  a billowy  sea  of  green  hills,  and  the  liarboi 
with  the  coast  range  beyond,  growing  soft  and  mellow 
in  the  afternoon  sunshine.  To  complete  the  picture,  one 
must  clothe  it  in  palms  and  acacias  and  tree-ferns,  and 
drape  it  in  a tangle  of  parasitic  growth,  with  abundant 
bloom  of  the  purple  Quaresma  (Flower  of  Lent),*  the 
Thunbergia  vine,  with  its  little  straw-colored  blossoms 
creeping  over  every  wall  and  shrub,  and  the  blue  and 
yellow  Bignonias.  We  are  constantly  astonished  at  the 
variety  of  palms.  A palm  is  such  a rarity  in  our  hot- 
houses, that  we  easily  forget  how  numerous  and  varied 
they  are  in  their  native  forests.  We  have  the  scarlet-oak, 
the  white-oak,  the  scrub-oak,  the  chestnut-oak,  the  swamp- 
oak,  and  many  others.  And  so  in  the  tropical  forest  there 
is  the  cocoanut-palm,  with  its  swollen,  bulb-like  stem  when 
young,  its  tall,  straight  trunk  when  full  grown,  its  cluster 
of  heavy  fruit,  and  its  long,  plume-like,  drooping  flower ; f 
the  Coccoeiro,  with  its  slighter  trunk  and  pendant  branch- 
es of  small  berry-like  fruit;  the  Palmetto,  with  its  tender 
succulent  bud  on  the  summit  of  the  stem,  which  is  used 
as  a vegetable  here,  and  makes  an  excellent  substitute 
for  cabbage ; the  thorny  Icaree  or  Cari,  a variety  of  fan- 
palms,  with  their  leaves  cut  like  ribbons  ; and  very  many 
others,  each  with  its  characteristic  foliage  and  appearance .$ 

* A species  of  Melastoma,  with  very  large,  conspicuous  flowers.  — L.  A 

t This  is  not,  however,  native  to  Brazil. 

| Indeed,  their  diversity  is  much  greater  even  than  that  of  our  Oaks,  and  it 
would  require  a comprehensive  comparison  with  a majority  of  our  forest-trees 
to  match  the  differences  they  exhibit  among  themselves  ; and  their  native 
names,  far  more  euphonic  than  the  systematic  names  under  which  they  are 
entered  in  our  scientific  works,  are  as  familiar  to  the  Indians  as  those  of  our 
beeches,  birches,  hazels,  chestnuts*  poplars,  or  willows  to  our  farmers.  There 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


69 


The  mountains  along  the  road,  as  indeed  throughout  the 
neighborhood  of  Rio,  are  of  very  peculiar  forms,  steep  and 
conical,  suggesting  at  first  sight  a volcanic  origin.  It  is  this 
abruptness  of  outline  which  gives  so  much  grandeur  to 
mountain  ranges  here,  the  average  height  of  which  does 
not  exceed  two  or  three  thousand  feet.  A closer  examina- 
tion of  their  structure  shows  that  their  wild,  fantastic  forms 
are  the  result  of  the  slow  processes  of  disintegration,  not 
of  sudden  convulsions.  Indeed,  the  rocks  here  differ  so 
much  in  external  character  from  those  of  the  Northern 
Hemisphere,  that  the  European  geologist  stands  at  first 
bewildered  before  them,  and  feels  that  the  work  of  his 
life  is  to  be  done  over  again.  It  is  some  time  before  he 
obtains  a clew  to  the  facts  and  brings  them  into  harmony 
with  his  previous  knowledge.  Thus  far  Mr.  Agassiz  finds 
himself  painfully  perplexed  by  this  new  aspect  of  phenome- 
na so  familiar  to  him  in  other  regions,  but  so  baffling  here. 

are  four  essentially  different  forms  among  the  palms  : the  tall  ones,  with  a 
slender  and  erect  stem,  terminating  with  a crown  of  long  feathery  leaves, 
or  with  broad  fan-shaped  leaves  ; the  bushy  ones,  the  leaves  of  which  rise 
as  it  were  in  tufts  from  the  ground,  the  stem  remaining  hidden  under  the 
foliage ; the  brush-like  ones,  with  a small  stem,  and  a few  rather  large  leaves ; 
and  the  winding,  creeping,  slender  species.  Their  flowers  and  fruits  are  as 
varied  as  their  stock.  Some  of  these  fruits  may  be  compared  to  large  woody 
nuts,  with  a fleshy  mass  inside ; others  have  a scaly  covering ; others  resemble 
peaches  or  apricots,  while  others  still  are  like  plums  or  grapes.  Most  of  them 
are  eatable  and  rather  pleasant  to  the  taste.  It  is  a thousand  pities  that  so 
many  of  these  majestic  trees  should  have  been  deprived  of  their  sonorous  native 
names,  to  bear  henceforth,  in  the  annals  of  science,  the  names  of  some  unknown 
princes,  whom  flattery  alone  could  rescue  from  oblivion.  The  Inaja  has  become 
a Maximilian  a,  the  Jara  a Leopoldinia,  the  Pupunha  a Guilielma,  the  Pachiuba 
an  Iriartea,  the  Carana  a Mauritia.  The  changes  from  Indian  to  Greek  names 
have  not  been  more  felicitous.  I would  certainly  have  preferred  Jacitara  to 
Desmonchus,  Mucaja  to  Acrocomia,  Baccaba  to  CEnocarpus,  Tucuma  to 
Astrocaryum.  Even  Euterpe  for  Assai  is  hardly  an  improvement.  — L.  A. 


TO 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


He  comes  upon  a rock,  for  instance,  or  a rounded  elevation 
which  by  its  outline  I13  would  suppose  to  be  a “ roche  mou- 
tonn^e,”  but  approaching  it  more  nearly  he  finds  a decom- 
posed crust  instead  of  a glaciated  surface.  It  is  the  same 
with  the  loose  materials  corresponding  to  the  drift  of  the 
Northern  hemisphere,  and  with  all  boulders  or  detached 
masses  of  rock  ; on  account  of  their  disintegration  wher- 
ever they  are  exposed  to  the  atmosphere,  nothing  is  to 
be  learned  from  their  external  appearance.  There  is  not 
a natural  surface  of  rock,  unless  recently  broken,  to  be 
found  anywhere. 

The  sun  had  set  before  we  drove  into  the  pretty  town 
of  Petropolis,  the  summer  paradise  of  all  Rio  Janeirans ' 
whose  circumstances  enable  them  to  leave  the  heat  and 
dirt  and  vile  smells  of  the  city,  for  the  pure  air  and 
enchanting  views  of  the  Serra.  In  a central  position 
stands  the  summer  palace  of  the  Emperor,  a far  gayer 
and  more  cheerful-looking  edifice  than  the  palace  at  San 
Christovao.  Here  he  passes  six  months  of  the  year. 
Through  the  midst  of  the  town  runs  the  pretty  river 
Piabanha,  a shallow  stream,  now  rippling  along  in  the 
bottom  of  its  bed  between  high  green  banks  ; but  we 
were  told  that  a night  of  rain  in  the  hot  season  is  enough 
to  swell  its  waters  till  they  overflow  and  flood  the  road.  I 
could  not  but  think  how  easy  it  would  be  for  any  one  who 
cares  to  see  tropical  scenery  to  come  here,  when  the  direct 
line  of  steamers  from  New  York  is  established,  and,  instead 
of  going  to  Newport  or  Nahant,  to  take  a house  in  Petropo- 
lis for  the  summer.  It  commands  all  the  most  beautiful 
scenery  about  Rio,  and  the  horseback  rides  are  without 
end.  During  our  summer  the  weather  is  delightful  here, 

just  admitting  a semblance  of  wood-fire  morning  and  even- 

' 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


71 


ing,  while  the  orange  orchards  are  golden  with  fruit,  and 
flowers  are  everywhere.  We  had  little  time  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  beauty  of  the  place,  which  we  hope  to 
explore  more  at  our  leisure  on  some  future  visit,  for  sunrise 
the  next  morning  saw  us  on  our  road  again.  The  soft 
clouds  hanging  over  the  tops  of  the  mountains  were  just 
tinged  with  the  first  rays  of  the  sun  when  we  drove  out 
of  the  town  on  the  top  of  the  diligence,  the  mules  at 
full  gallop,  the  guard  sounding  a gay  reveille  as  we  rattled 
over  the  little  bridge  and  past  the  pretty  houses  where 
closed  windows  and  doors  showed  that  the  inhabitants  were 
hardly  yet  astir. 

The  first  part  of  our  road  lay  through  the  lovely  valley  of 
the  Piabanha,  the  river  whose  acquaintance  we  had  already 
made  in  Petropolis,  and  which  accompanied  us  for  the  first 
forty  or  fifty  miles  of  our  journey,  sometimes  a restless 
stream  broken  into  rapids  and  cascades,  sometimes  spread- 
ing into  a broad,  placid  river,  but  always  enclosed  between 
mountains  rising  occasionally  to  the  height  of  a few  thou- 
sand feet,  lifting  here  and  there  a bare  rocky  face  seanaed 
with  a thousand  scars  of  time  and  studded  with  Bromelias 
and  Orchids,  but  more  often  clothed  with  all  the  glory  of 
the  Southern  forest,  or  covered  from  base  to  summit  with 
coffee  shrubs.  A thriving  coffee  plantation  is  a very  pretty 
sight ; the  rounded,  regular  outline  of  the  shrubs  gives  a 
tufted  look  to  the  hillside  on  which  they  grow,  and  their 
glittering  foliage  contrasts  strikingly  at  this  season  with 
their  bright  red  berries.  One  often  passes  coffee  planta- 
tions, however,  which  look  ragged  and  thin  ; in  this  case 
the  trees  are  either  suffering  from  the  peculiar  insect  so 
injurious  to  them,  (a ' kind  of  Tinea,)  or  have  run  out 
and  become  exhausted.  As  we  drove  along,  the  scenes 


72 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


upon  the  road  were  often  as  amusing  as  they  were  pic- 
turesque. Now  we  came  upon  a troop  of  pack  mules 
with  a tropeiro  (driver)  at  their  head  ; if  a large  troop, 
they  were  divided  into  companies  of  eight,  with  a man 
to  guide  each  company.  The  guard  wound  his  horn  to 
give  warning  of  our  coming,  and  a general  struggle,  gar- 
nished with  kicks,  oaths,  and  many  lashes,  ensued,  to 
induce  the  mules  to  make  way  for  the  coach.  These 
troops  of  mules  are  beginning  to  disappear  from  the  sea- 
board since  the  modern  improvements  in  railroads  and 
stage  lines,  making  transportation  so  much  easier  ; but 
until  lately  it  was  the  only  way  of  bringing  down  the 
produce  from  the  interior.  Or  again  we  fell  in  with  a 
line  of  country  wagons  made  of  plaited  bamboo,  a kind  of 
fabric  which  is  put  to  a variety  of  uses  here,  such  as  the 
building  of  fences  and  lining  of  ceilings  or  roofs,  as  well 
as  the  construction  of  carts.  Here  and  there  the  laborers 
were  sitting  in  groups  at  the  roadside,  their  work  suspended 
while  they  cooked  their  midday  meal,  their  kettles  hanging 
over  the  fire,  their  coffee-pot  simmering  over  the  coals, 
and  they  themselves  lying  about  in  gypsy-like  freedom 
of  attitude. 

At  Posse,  the  third  stage  of  our  road,  after  having 
gone  some  thirty  miles,  we  also  stopped  to  breakfast,  a 
meal  which  was  by  no  means  unacceptable  after  our  three 
hours’  ride.  It  is  an  almost  universal  custom  with  the 
Brazilians,  especially  when  travelling,  to  take  their  cup  of 
black  coffee  on  rising,  and  defer  their  more  solid  break- 
fast till  ten  or  eleven  o’clock.  I do  not  know  whether 
my  readers  will  sympathize  with  me,  but  I am  always  dis- 
appointed myself  if  any  book  of  travels,  having  led  me 
along  the  weary  road,  does  not  tell  me  what  the  hungry 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


73 


wanderers  had  to  eat.  It  seems  hardly  fair,  having  shared 
their  fatigues,  that  I should  not  also  share  their  refresh- 
ment and  be  invited  to  sit  down  at  table  with  them. 
Doing,  therefore,  as  I would  be  done  by,  I shall  give 
our  bill  of  fare,  and  take  an  opportunity  of  saying  a word 
at  the  same  time  of  the  characteristic  Brazilian  dishes. 
In  the  first  place  we  had  black  beans  stewed  with  came 
secca  (dried  meat),  the  invariable  accompaniment  of  every 
meal  in  Brazil.  There  is  no  house  so  poor  that  it  does 
not  have  its  feijoes , no  house  so  rich  as  to  exclude  this 
homely  but  most  excellent  dish,  a favorite  alike  with  high 
and  low.  Then  there  was  chicken  stewed  with  potatoes 
and  rice,  almost  as  marked  a feature  of  the  Brazilian 
cuisine  as  the  black  beans.  Beside  these,  there  were  eggs 
served  in  various  ways,  cold  meat,  wine,  coffee,  and  bread. 
Vegetables  seem  to  be  rare,  though  one  would  expect  a 
plentiful  variety  in  this  climate.*  At  Posse  Mr.  Agassiz 
found  a cordial  co-operator  in  Mr.  Charles  Taylor,  who 
expressed  a warm  interest  in  his  scientific  researches,  and 
kept  one  of  the  collecting  cans  that  he  might  fill  it  with 
fishes  from  the  neighboring  rivers  and  streams. f 

Our  kind  friend  Senhor  Joao  Baptista  da  Fonseca, 
who  was  our  guide  and  our  host  on  this  journey,  had 
neglected  nothing  which  could  contribute  to  the  success 

* This  observation  was  confirmed  by  our  year’s  travel.  The  Brazilians  care 
little  for  a variety  of  vegetables,  and  do  not  give  much  attention  to  their  culti- 
vation. Those  they  do  use  are  chiefly  imported  in  cans  from  Europe. 

t On  our  return  from  the  Amazons  a year  later  we  heard  with  great  regret 
of  the  death  of  Mr.  Taylor  For  many  months  he  took  an  active  part  in  the 
objects  of  the  Expedition,  being  himself  a good  naturalist,  and  not  only  made 
valuable  collections  for  Mr.  Agassiz,  but  valso  sDme  admirable  colored  draw- 
ings of  fishes  and  insects,  which  it  is  hoped  may  be  published  a 1 a future  time 
with  the  other  scientific  results  of  this  journey. 

4 


74 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


and  pleasure  of  the  party,  and  had  so  prepared  the  way 
for  the  scientific  objects  of  the  excursion  that  at  several 
points  of  the  road  we  found  collections  of  fishes  and  other 
animals  awaiting  us  by  the  roadside.  Once  or  twice,  as  we 
passed  a fazenda,  a negro  carrying  a basket  came  out  to 
stop  the  diligence,  and,  lifting  the  cool  green  leaves  which 
covered  them,  showed  freshly  caught  fishes  of  all  hues  and 
sizes.  It  was  rather  aggravating,  especially  as  we  ap- 
proached the  end  of  our  long  drive,  and  the  idea  of 
dinner  readily  suggested  itself,  to  see  them  disappear  in 
the  alcohol  cans.* 

At  about  midday  we  bade  good  by  to  the  pretty  river  we 
had  followed  thus  far,  and  at  the  Estagao  d’Entre  Rios 
(between  the  rivers)  crossed  the  fine  bridge  which  spans 
the  Parahyba  at  this  point.  The  Parahyba  is  the  large 
river  which  flows  for  a great  part  of  its  course  between 
the  Serra  do  Mar  and  the  Serra  da  Mantiqueira,  emptying 
into  the  Atlantic  at  San  Joao  da  Barra  considerably  to  the 
northeast  of  Rio  de  Janeiro.  One  is  a little  bewildered 
at  first  by  the  variety  of  Serras  in  Brazil,  because  the 

* My  experience  of  this  day  might  well  awaken  the  envy  of  any  naturalist, 
and  I was  myself  no  less  astonished  than  grateful  for  its  scientific  results. 
Not  only  had  Senhor  Lage  provided  us  with  the  most  comfortable  private  con- 
veyance, but  he  had  sent  messengers  in  advance  to  all  the  planters  residing 
near  our  line  of  travel,  requesting  them  to  provide  all  the  fishes  that  were  to  be 
had  in  the  adjoining  rivers  and  brooks.  The  agents  of  the  stations  situated 
near  water-courses  had  also  received  instructions  to  have  similar  collections  in 
readiness,  and  in  two  places  I found  large  tanks  filled  with  living  specimens  of 
all  the  species  in  the  neighborhood.  The  small  number  of  species  subsequently 
added,  upon  repeated  excursions  to  different  parts  of  the  basin  of  the  Parahyba, 
convinced  me  that  in  this  one  day,  thanks  to  the  kindness  of  our  host  and  his 
friends,  I had  an  opportunity  of  examining  nearly  its  whole  ichthyological 
fauna,  and  of  making  probably  as  complete  a collection  from  it  as  may  be 
found  from  any  of  the  considerable  rivers  of  Europe  in  the  larger  museums 
of  the  Old  World.  — L.  A. 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


75 


word  is  used  to  express  not  only  important  chains  of 
mountains,  but  all  their  spurs.  Any  mountainous  eleva- 
tion is  a Serra ; but  though  there  is  an  endless  number  of 
them  between  the  Serra  do  Mar  and  the  Serra  da  Manti- 
queira,  these  are  the  two  most  important  chains,  running 
parallel  with  the  sea-coast.  Between  them  flows  the  Para- 
hyba  with  its  many  branches.  It  is  important  to  make  col- 
lections here,  as  the  peculiar  character  of  this  water  basin, 
the  many  tributaries  of  which  drain  the  southern  water- 
shed of  the  Serra  da  Mantiqueira,  and  the  northern  water- 
shed of  the  Serra  do  Mar,  make  it  of  especial  interest 
for  the  naturalist.  On  account  of  its  neighborhood  to 
the  sea,  it  is  also  desirable  to  compare  its  inhabitants 
with  those  of  the  many  short,  disconnected  rivers  which 
empty  into  the  Atlantic  on  the  other  side  of  the  coast 
range.  In  short,  it  gives  a good  opportunity  for  testing 
those  questions  of  the  geographical  distribution  of  living 
beings,  as  connected  with  their  origin,  which  Mr.  Agassiz 
so  strongly  urged  upon  his  assistants  during  our  voyage. 

Soon  after  crossing  the  Parahyba,  the  road  strikes  the 
Parahybuna,  a tributary  which  enters  the  main  river  on 
its  northern  side,  nearly  opposite  the  Piabanha.  The  latter 
part  of  the  journey  is  less  wild  than  the  first  half ; the 
mountains  fall  away  in  somewhat  gentler  slopes,  and  do 
not  shut  in  the  road  with  the  steep  rugged  precipices  so 
striking  in  the  valley  of  the  Piabanha.  But  though  perhaps 
less  picturesque  on  approaching  Juiz  de  Fora,*  the  scenery 
is  beautiful  enough  throughout  the  whole  ride  to  satisfy 
the  most  fastidious  and  keep  the  attention  constantly  awake. 
We  arrived  at  the  end  of  our  journey  at  about  six  o’clock, 
and  found  most  comfortable  accommodations  prepared  for 

* In  some  maps  this  place  is  inscribed  under  the  name  of  Parahybuna. 


76 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


us  at  a little  cottage,  built  somewhat  in  the  style  of  a 
Swiss  chalet,  and  kept  by  the  company  for  the  use  of 
their  guests  or  for  the  directors  of  the  road.  An  excellent 
dinner  awaited  us  at  the  little  hotel  just  opposite,  the  door 
of  which  is  shaded  by  two  stately  palms ; and  with  a ramble 
in  the  neighboring  grounds  of  Senhor  Lage,  and  a concert 
by  a band  of  German  musicians,  consisting  of  employees  on 
the  road,  our  day  closed,  — a day  full  of  pleasure. 

The  following  morning  we  were  indebted  to  Senhor  Lage 
for  a walk,  as  instructive  as  it  was  charming,  through  his 
gardens  and  orange  orchards.  Not  only  has  he  arranged  his 
grounds  with  exquisite  taste,  but  has  endeavored  to  bring 
together  the  shrubs  and  trees  most  characteristic  of  the 
country,  so  that  a stroll  through  his  place  is  a valuable 
lesson  to  the  botanist,  the  more  so  if  he  is  fortunate  enough 
to  have  the  proprietor  as  a companion,  for  he  may  then 
learn  the  name  and  history  of  every  tree  and  flower  he 
passes.  Such  a guide  is  invaluable  here,  for  the  Brazilians 
seem  to  remain  in  blissful  ignorance  of  systematic  nomen- 
clature ; to  most  of  them  all  flowers  are  “ flores,”  all 
animals,  from  a fly  up  to  a mule  or  an  elephant,  “ bixos.” 
One  of  the  most  beautiful  features  of  Senhor  Lage’s 
grounds  is  a plantation  of  parasites,  — an  extensive . walk, 
bordered  on  either  side  by  a rustic  fence,  over  which  are 
trained  some  of  the  most  exquisite  parasitic  plants  of  the 
Brazilian  forests.  In  the  midst  of  this  walk  is  the  Grotto 
of  the  Princesses,  so  called  after  the  daughters  of  the  Em- 
peror who,  on  occasion  of  a visit  made  by  the  Imperial 
family  to  Juiz  de  Fora,  at  the  opening  of  the  road,  were 
exceedingly  pleased  with  this  pretty  spot,  where  a spring  all 
overhung  with  parasitic  vines,  Orchids,  &c.  flows  out  from 
the  rock.  The  spring,  however,  is  artificial,  and  is  a part 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS. 


77 


of  the  admirable  system  of  irrigation  introduced  over  the 
whole  estate.  So  rapid  is  the  growth  of  everything  here 
that  one  can  hardly  believe  this  beautiful  country  place  to 
have  been  under  cultivation  only  five  or  six  years  ; a few 
years  more  under  the  same  direction  will  make  it  a tropi- 
cal paradise. 

A variety  of  plans  combining  pleasure  and  science  had 
been  arranged  for  the  next  day.  First  on  the  list  was  a 
drive  to  the  “ Forest  of  the  Empress.”  Everything  of  any 
interest  in  the  neighborhood  recalls  the  visit  of  the  Im- 
perial family  at  the  opening  of  the  road.  From  this  event 
all  loyal  Juiz  de  Forans  date,  and  the  virgin  forest  we  were 
to  visit  is  consecrated  by  the  fact  that  on  this  great  occasion 
the  Emperor  with  his  family  and  suite  breakfasted  here  in 
presence  of  a numerous  assemblage  of  their  loving  subjects. 
Surely  a more  stately  banqueting-hall  could  scarcely  be 
found.  The  throne  was  cut  in  the  broad  buttressed  trunk 
of  a huge  figueira ; the  rustic  table,  built  of  rough  stems, 
stood  under  the  shadow  of  great  palm-trees  ; and  around 
was  the  tropical  forest,  tapestried  with  vines,  and  embroi- 
dered with  Orchids.  These  were  royal  accompaniments, 
even  though  the  whole  entertainment  was  conducted  with 
a simplicity  in  harmony  with  the  scene.  Neither  gold  nor 
silver  nor  glass  was  brought  to  vie  with  the  beauties 
of  nature  ; the  drinking-cups  were  made  from  the  hollow 
stems  of  the  wild  bamboo-tree,  and  all  the  service  was 
of  the  same  rustic  description.  The  tables,  seats,  Ac. 
stand,  undisturbed,  as  they  were  on  that  day,  and  of  course 
this  spot  remains  a favorite  resort  for  humbler  picnics  than 
the  one  by  which  it  was  inaugurated.  We  wandered  about 
for  some  time  in  the  cool  shade  of  the  wood,  lunched  under 
the  rustling  nalms,  and  then  drove  homeward,  stopping  for  a 


78 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


while  by  the  side  of  the  river,  where  a pretty  cascade  rushes 
over  the  stones,  and  a rustic  house  built  for  the  same 
memorable  occurrence  makes  a pleasant  resting-place.  In 
the  afternoon  a heavy  rain  kept  us  within  doors,  but  we 
were  not  sorry,  for  we  were  in  danger  of  having  a surfeit 
of  pleasure,  and  quiet  was  very  grateful. 

A great  part  of  our  last  day  at  Juiz  de  Fora  was  spent 
at  the  hospitable  house  of  Mr.  Halfeld,  the  German  en- 
gineer who  has  gained  an  honorable  distinction  by  his 
explorations  in  the  interior.  His  work  on  the  Rio  San 
Francisco  was  well  known  to  Mr.  Agassiz,  so  that  they 
found  themselves  at  once  on  familihr  ground,  and  Mr. 
Halfeld  was  able  to  give  him  a great  deal  of  valuable 
information  respecting  the  prospects  of  the  present  expe- 
dition, especially  that  department  of  it  which  will  go  to 
the  Amazons  by  way  of  the  Rio  San  Francisco  and  the 
Tocantins.  He  has  also  an  interesting  collection  of  objects 
of  natural  history,  and  cordially  offered  his  assistance  in 
obtaining  the  fishes  of  the  neighborhood.  As  for  the 
collections,  they  had  been  going  on  famously  during  our 
whole  visit.  We  had  hardly  been  in  Juiz  de  Fora  twenty- 
four  hours  before  a dozen  collectors  were  actively  at  work. 
All  the  urchins  of  the  neighborhood  and  many  of  the 
Germans  employed  on  the  road  lent  a helping  hand. 
Even  the  ladies  did  their  full  share,  and  Mr.  Agassiz 
was  indebted  to  our  friend  Mrs.  K — — for  some  of  the 
most  interesting  specimens  from  this  locality.  No  doubt 
such  as  were  left  of  the  “ bixos  ” of  Juiz  de  Fora  must 
have  congratulated  themselves  on  our  departure  the  follow- 
ing morning. 

We  enjoyed  our  return  over  the  same  road  scarcely  less 
than  our  first  introduction  to  it ; but  the  latter  part  of 


RIO  DE  JANEIRO  AND  ITS  ENVIRONS.  79 

the  day  was  full  of  an  interest  which  touched  us  more 
nearly.  At  Posse,  where  we  had  breakfasted  on  our  way 
up,  Mr.  Taylor  welcomed  us  with  a Portuguese  paper 
containing  a bulletin  announcing  the  great  victories  of 
the  North.  Petersburg  and  Richmond  taken,  — Lee  in 
full  retreat,  — the  war  virtually  over.  This  was  the  sub- 
stance of  the  news  received  with  delight  and  acclamation, 
not  without  tears  of  gratitude  also,  and  we  went  on  our 
way  rejoicing.  As  we  drove  up  to  the  Hotel  Inglez  after 
dark  that  evening,  hoping  to  get  a glimpse  of  an  American 
paper,  or  at  least  to  have  the  good  news  confirmed  through 
the  American  Minister,  General  Webb,  whose  residence  is 
at  Petropolis,  we  were  greeted  by  the  announcement  of  the 
assassination  of  Lincoln  and  Seward,  both  believed  at 
this  time  to  be  dead.  At  first  it  seemed  absolutely  in- 
credible, and  the  more  sanguine  among  us  persisted  in 
regarding  it  as  a gigantic  street  rumor,  invented  perhaps 
by  Secession  sympathizers,  till  on  our  return  to  town  the 
next  morning  our  worst  fears  were  confirmed  by  the  French 
steamer  just  arrived.  The  days  seemed  very  long  till  the 
next  mail,  which  reassured  us  somewhat,  as  it  brought 
the  news  of  Mr.  Seward’s  probable  recovery  and  strength- 
ened our  faith  in  the  stability  of  the  national  character. 
All  the  accounts,  public  and  private,  assure  us  that,  though 
there  is  mourning  throughout  the  land,  there  is  no  dis- 
turbance of  the  general  regularity  and  order. 


80 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


CHAPTER  III. 

LIFE  IN  RIO  CONTINUED.  — FAZENDA  LIFE. 

Botafogo.  — Insane  Hospital,.  — Tijuca.  — Erratic  Drift.  — Vegetation. 

— Birthday  Dinner.  — Arrangements  for  Parties  to  the  Interior.  — 
Public  Lectures  in  Rio.  — Procession  of  St.  George.  — Leave  Rio  on 
Excursion  to  the  Fortaleza  de  Santa  Anna.  — Localities  for  Erratic 
Drift  between  Rio  and  Petropolis.  — Departure  from  Juiz  de  Fora.  — 
Arrival  at  the  Fazenda.  — Ride  in  the  Forest.  — Eve  of  San  Joao. 

— Cupim  Nests.  — Excursion  to  the  Upper  Fazenda  — Grand  Hunt.  — 
Picnic.  — Coffee  Plantation.  — Return  to  Rio.  — Mimic  Snow-Fields. 

— Coffee  Insect  spinning  its  Nest.  — Visit  to  the  Fazenda  of  Com- 
MENDADOR  BREVES.  — BOTANIZING  EXCURSION  TO  TlJUCA.  — PREPARATIONS 
FOR  LEAVING  RlO.  — MAJOR  COUTINHO.  — COLLEGIO  DOM  PEDRO  SEGUNDO. 

May  22 d.  — This  afternoon  Dr.  and  Mrs.  C — — and 
myself  went  out  for  a country  ramble,  somewhat  at  a 
venture,  it  is  true,  but  feeling  sure  that  in  the  beautiful 
scenery  about  Rio  we  could  hardly  go  amiss.  We  took 
one  of  the  many  ferry-boats  in  the  neighborhood  of  our 
hotel,  and  presently  found  ourselves  on  the  way  to  Botafogo. 
Almost  all  the  environs  of  the  city  are  built  along  beaches ; 
there  is  the  beach  or  Praia  of  Botafogo,  the  Praia  of  San 
Christovao,  the  Praia  of  San  Domingo,  and  half  a dozen 
others,  all  of  which  mean  some  suburb  of  the  town  situated 
on  the  shore  with  a beach  in  front  of  it.  As  it  is  rather  the 
fashion  for  the  better  class  of  people  to  live  out  of  town,  the 
houses  and  gardens  in  these  suburbs  are  often  delightful. 
We  enjoyed  the  sail  exceedingly.  For  a part  of  the  way 
the  boat  keeps  close  under  the  mountains,  and  no  descrip- 
tion can  give  an  idea  of  their  picturesque  outlines,  or  of 
the  wonderful  coloring  which  softens  all  their  asperities 
and  mellows  the  whole  landscape.  We  landed  at  a jetty 


BOTAFOGO  BAY. 


LIFE  IN  RIO  CONTINUED. 


81 


thrown  out  from  a romantic-looking  road,  and  as  we  found 
no  carriage  on  the  wharf,  and  ascertained  that  the  boat  did 
not  return  for  two  hours,  we  wandered  up  this  road  to  see 
where  chance  would  lead  us.  The  afternoon  would  have 
been  full  of  interest  had  it  ended  in  the  walk  along  the 
crescent-shaped  bay,  with  the  water  rippling  on  the  sands, 
and  the  mountains  opposite  all  purple  in  the  afternoon 
sunshine.  The  road  brought  us,  however,  to  a magnifi- 
cent hospital  for  the  insane,  the  hospital  of  Dom  Pedro  Se- 
gundo,  which  we  had  seen  and  admired  from  the  deck  of 
the  steamer  on  the  day  of  our  arrival.  We  entered  the 
grounds,  and  as  the  great  door  of  the  building  was  open 
and  the  official  on  guard  looked  by  no  means  forbidding, 
we  ascended  the  steps  and  went  in.  It  is  difficult  to 
imagine  an  edifice  more  appropriate  for  the  purpose  to 
which  it  is  devoted.  It  is  true  we  saw  only  the  public 
rooms  and  corridors,  as  a permit  was  required  to  enter 
the  wards  ; but  a plan  hanging  near  the  entrance  gave 
us  an  idea  of  the  arrangement  of  the  building,  and  its 
general  aspect  bore  testimony  to  the  cleanliness,  cheerful- 
ness, and  order  of  the  establishment.  Some  of  the  public 
rooms  were  very  handsome,  — especially  one,  at  the  end 
of  which  stands  a statue  of  the  boy  Emperor,  taken, 
no  doubt,  at  the  time  of  his  coronation.  In  the  man  of 
forty  you  still  recognize  the  frank,  intelligent,  manly  face* 
of  the  lad  on  whom  such  great  responsibility  was  thrown 
at  the  age  of  fifteen.  As  we  went  up  the  spacious  stair- 
case, the  sound  of  music  brought  us  to  the  door  of  the 
chapel,  where  the  evening  service  was  going  on.  Patients 
and  nurses  were  kneeling  together  ; a choir  of  female 
voices  was  singing  sweetly  a calm,  peaceful  kind  of 
music  ; that  somewhat  monotonous  chanting,  so  passion- 

4 * F 


82 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


less  in  its  regular  movement,  which  one  hears  in  the 
Catholic  Church  ; the  candles  were  burning  before  the 
altar,  but  the  great  window  just  outside  the  door  was  open 
to  the  setting  sun,  and,  as  I stood  in  the  balcony  looking 
out  on  the  mountains  and  listening  to  the  music,  I thought 
that  a mind  which  had  gone  astray  might  find  its  way  back 
again  in  such  scenes  and  under  such  influences.  Certainly, 
if  nature  has  any  healing  power,  it  must  be  felt  here.  We 
lingered  and  listened  as  long  as  we  dared,  and  stole  away  as 
the  services  were  closing,  just  in  time  to  take  the  evening 
boat. 

May  25th.  — The  fish-market  is,  in  all  seaport  towns,  a 
favorite  haunt  with  Mr.  Agassiz,  and  here  it  has  an  especial 
interest  for  him  on  account  of  the  variety  and  beauty  of  the 
fishes  brought  in  every  morning.  I sometimes  accompany 
him  in  these  rambles  for  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  fresh 
loads  of  oranges,  flowers,  and  vegetables,  and  of  watch- 
ing the  picturesque  negro  groups  selling  their  wares  or 
sitting  about  in  knots  to  gossip.  We  have  already  learned 
that  the  fine-looking  athletic  negroes  of  a nobler  type,  at 
least  physically,  than  any  we  see  in  the  States,  are  the 
so-called  Mina  negroes,  from  the  province  of  Mina,  in 
Western  Africa.  They  are  a very  powerful-looking  race, 
and  the  women  especially  are  finely  made  and  have  'quite 
a dignified  presence.  I am  neyer  tired  of  watching  them 
in  the  street  and  market,  where  they  are  to  be  seen  in 
numbers,  being  more  commonly  employed  as  venders  of 
fruit  and  vegetables  than  as  house-servants.  It  is  said  that 
a certain  wild  and  independent  element  in  their  character 
makes  them  unfit  for  domestic  service.  The  women  always 
wear  a high  muslin  turban,  and  a long,  bright-colored  snawl, 
either  crossed  on  the  breast  and  thrown  carelessly  over  the 


LIFE  IN  RIO  CONTINUED. 


83 


Mina  Negress. 

shoulder,  or,  if  the  day  be  chilly,  drawn  closely  around 

them,  their  arms  hidden  in  its  folds.  The  amount  of  ex- 
pression they  throw  into  the  use  of  this  shawl  is  quite 
amazing.  I watched  a tall,  superbly  made  woman  in  the 
street  to-day  who  was  in  a great  passion.  Gesticulating  vio- 
lently, she  flung  her  shawl  wide,  throwing  out  both  arms, 

then,  drawing  it  suddenly  in,  folded  it  about  her,  and 
stretched  herself  to  her  full  height ; presently  opening  it 
once  more,  she  shook  her  fist  in  the  face  of  her  opponent, 


84 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Mina  Negress  and  Child. 


and  then,  casting  one  end  of  her  long  drapery  over  her 
shoulder,  stalked  away  with  the  air  of  a tragedy  queen. 
It  serves  as  a cradle  also,  for,  tying  it  loosely  round  their 
hips,  they  slip  the  baby  into  the  folds  behind,  and  there 
it  hangs,  rocked  to  sleep  by  the  mother’s  movement  as  she 
walks  on  with  her  long,  swinging  tread.  The  Mina  ne- 
gress  is  almost  invariably  remarkable  for  her  beautiful 
hand  and  arm.  She  seems  to  be  conscious  of  this,  and 
usually  wears  close-fitting  bracelets  at  the  wrist,  made  of 


LIFE  IN  RIO  CONTINUED. 


85 


some  bright-colored  beads,  which  set  off  the  firm  of  the 
hand  and  are  exceedingly  becoming  on  her  dark,  shining 
skin.  These  negroes  are  Mohammedans,  and  are  said  to 
remain  faithful  to  their  prophet,  though  surrounded  by  the 
observances  of  the  Catholic  Church.  They  do  not  seem 
to  me  so  affable  and  responsive  as  the  Congo  negroes,  but 
are,  on  the  contrary,  rather  haughty.  One  morning  I came 
upon  a cluster  of  them  in  the  market  breakfasting  after 
their  work  was  done,  and  I stopped  to  talk  with  them,  ask- 
ing what  they  had  for  breakfast,  and  trying  various  subjects 
on  which  to  open  an  acquaintance.  But  they  looked  at 
me  coldly  and  suspiciously,  barely  answering  my  questions, 
and  were  evidently  relieved  when  I walked  away. 

May  2Qth.  — Tijuca.  In  the  pleasant  environs  of  Rio 
there  is  no  resort  more  frequented  than  the  establishment 
of  Mr.  Bennett  at  Tijuca,  and  we  were  not  sorry  the  day 
before  yesterday  to  leave  the  hot,  dusty  city,  with  a pleasant 
party  of  friends,  for  this  cluster  of  mountains,  some  eigh- 
teen hundred  feet  above  the  sea  level  and  about  eight  miles 
from  Rio.  It  takes  its  name  from  the  peak  of  Tijuca,  so 
conspicuous  an  object  in  the  coast  range.  On  our  arrival 
we  were  very  cordially  welcomed  by  our  host  himself,  who 
was  not  quite  a stranger  to  us,  for  Mr.  Agassiz  has  been 
already  indebted  to  him  for  valuable  collections.  Mr.  Ben- 
nett has  an  Englishman’s  love  of  nature,  and  is  very  fa- 
miliar with  the  botany  and  zoology  of  the  beautiful  region 
which  has  been  his  home  for  many  years.  Under  his  guid- 
ance, we  have  taken  a number  of  pleasant  rambles  and 
rides,  regretting  only  that  we  cannot  avail  ourselves  for  a 
longer  time  of  his  intimate  knowledge  of  the  locality  and 
its  productions. 

I have  alluded  before  to  the  perplexing  character  of  the 


86 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


geology,  and  the  almost  universal  decomposition  of  the 
rock  surfaces,  making  it  difficult  to  decipher  them.  The 
presence  of  the  drift  phenomena,  so  universal  in  the  North- 
ern hemisphere,  has  been  denied  here  ; but,  in  his  long 
walk  to-day,  Mr.  Agassiz  has  had  an  opportunity  of  ob- 
serving a great  number  of  erratic  boulders,  having  no 
connection  with  the  rocks  in  place,  and  also  a sheet  of  * 
drift  studded  with  boulders  and  resting  above  the  partially 
stratified  metamorphie  rock  in  immediate  contact  with  it. 

I introduce  here  a letter  written  by  him  to  his  friend, 
Professor  Peirce  of  Harvard  University,  under  the  first 
impression  of  the  day’s  experience,  which  will  best  explain 
his  view  of  the  subject. 

“ May  27th,  1865,  Tijuca. 

“ My  dear  Peirce  : — 

“Yesterday  was  one  of  the  happiest  days  of  my  life,  and 
I want  to  share  it  with  you.  Here  I am  at  Tijuca,  a clus- 
ter of  hills,  about  eighteen  hundred  feet  high  and  some 
seven  or  . eight  miles  from  Rio,  in  a charming  cottage-like 
hotel,  from  the  terrace  of  which  you  see  a drift  hill  with 
innumerable  erratic  boulders,  as  characteristic  as  any  I 
have  ever  seen  in  New  England.  I had  before  seen  sundry 
unmistakable  traces  of  drift,  but  there  was  everywhere  con- 
nected with  the  drift  itself  such  an  amount  of  decomposed 
rocks  of  various  kinds,  that,  though  I could  see  the  drift  and 
distinguish  it  from  the  decomposed  primary  rocks  in  place, 
on  account  of  my  familiarity  with  that  kind  of  deposits,  yet 
I could  probably  never  have  satisfied  anybody  else  that  there 
is  here  an  equivalent  of  the  Northern  drift,  had  I not  found 
yesterday,  near  Bennett’s  hotel  at  Tijuca,  the  most  palpable 
superposition  of  drift  and  decomposed  rocks,  with  a distinct 
line  of  demarcation  between  the  two,  of  which  I shall  secure 


LIFE  IN  RIO  CONTINUED. 


87 


a good  photograph.  This  locality  afforded  me  at  once  an 
opportunity  of  contrasting  the  decomposed  rocks  which 
form'  a characteristic  feature  of  the  whole  country  (as’far 
as  I have  yet  seen  it)  with  the  superincumbent  drift,  and 
of  making  myself  familiar  with  the  peculiarities  of  both 
deposits  ; so  that  I trust  I shall  be  able  hereafter  to  dis- 
tinguish both,  whether  they  are  in  contact  with  one  another 
or  found  separately.  These  decomposed  rocks  are  quite  a 
new  feature  to  me  in  the  structure  of  the  country.  Imagine 
granite,  gneiss,  mica  slate,  clay  slate,  and  in  fact  all  the 
various  kinds  of  rocks  usually  found  in  old  metamorphic 
formations,  reduced  to  the  condition  of  a soft  paste,  ex- 
hibiting all  the  mineralogical  elements  of  the  rocks,  as 
they  may  have  been  before  they  were  decomposed,  but 
now  completely  disintegrated  and  resting  side  by  side,  as 
if  they  had  been  accumulated  artificially  in  the  manner 
you  have  seen  glass  cylinders  filled  with  variously  colored 
sands  or  clays  to  imitate  the  appearance  of  the  beds  of 
Gay-Head.  And  through  this  loose  mass  there  run,  here 
and  there,  larger  or  smaller  dikes  of  quartz-rock  or  of 
granite  or  other  rocks  equally  disintegrated  ; but  they 
retain  the  arrangement  of  their  materials,,  showing  them 
to  be  disintegrated  dikes  in  large  disintegrated  masses  of 
rock  ; the  whole  passing  unmistakably  to  rocks  of  the 
same  kind  in  which  the  decomposition  or  disintegration 
is  only  partial,  or  no  trace  of  it  visible,  and  the  whole 
mass  exhibiting  then  the  appearance  of  an  ordinary  meta- 
morphic set  of  rocks. 

“ That  such  masses  forming  everywhere  the  surface  of  the 
country  should  be  a great  obstacle  to  the  study  of  the 
erratic  phenomena  is  at  once  plain,  and  I do  not  therefore 
winder  that  those  who  seem  familiar  with  the  country 


88 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


should  now  entertain  the  idea  that  the  surface  rocks  are 
everywhere  decomposed,  and  that  there  is  no  erratic  forma- 
tion* or  drift  here.  But  upon  close  examination  it  is  easy 
to  perceive  that,  while  the  decomposed  rocks  consist  of 
small  particles  of  the  primitive  rocks  which  they  represent, 
with  their  dikes  and  all  other  characteristic  features,  there 
is  not  a trace  of  larger  or  smaller  boulders  in  them ; while 
the  superincumbent  drift,  consisting  of  a similar  paste, 
does  not  show  the  slightest  sign  of  the  indistinct  stratifica- 
tion characteristic  of  the  decomposed  metamorphic  rocks 
below  it,  nor  any  of  the  decomposed  dikes,  but  is  full  of 
various  kinds  of  boulders  of  various  dimensions.  I have 
not  yet  traced  the  boulders  to  their  origin  ; but  the  majority 
consist  of  a kind  of  greenstone  composed  of  equal  amounts 
of  a greenish  black  hornblende  and  feldspar.  In  Entre 
Rios  on  the  Paraliyba,  I was  told  by  an  engineer  on  the 
road  that  in  Minas  Geraes  iron  mines  are  worked  in  a 
rock  like  these  boulders.  This  week  I propose  to  explore 
the  Serra  da  Mantiqueira,*  which  separates  the  province 
of  Rio  from  Minas,  and  may  advance  the  question  further. 
But  you  see  that  I need  not  go  to  the  Andes  to  find 
erratics,  though  it  may  yet  be  necessary  for  me  to  go, 
in  order  to  trace  the  evidence  of  glacier  action  in  the 
accumulation  of  this  drift  ; for  you  will  notice  that  I 
have  only  given  you  the  evidence  of  extensive  accumu- 
lations of  drift  similar  in  its  characteristics  to  Northern 
drift.  But  I have  not  yet  seen  a trace  of  glacial  action 
properly  speaking,  if  polished  surfaces  and  scratches  and 
furrows  are  especially  to  be  considered  as  such. 

“ The  decomposition  of  the  surface  rocks  to  the  extent 
to  which  it  takes  place  here  is  very  remarkable,  and  points 

* Mr-.  Agassiz  was  prevented  from  making  this  excursion. 


LIFE  IN  RIO  CONTINUED. 


89 


to  a new  geological  agency,  thus  far  not  discussed  in  our 
geological  theories.  It  is  obvious  here  (and  to-day  with 
the  pouring  rain  which  keeps  me  in  doors  I have  satis- 
factory evidence  of  it)  that  the  warm  rains  falling  upon  the 
heated  soil  must  have  a very  powerful  action  in  accelerating 
the  decomposition  of  rocks.  It  is  like  torrents  of  hot  water 
falling  for  ages  in  succession  upon  hot  stones.  Think  of 
the  effect,  and,  instead  of  wondering  at  the  large  amount 
of  decomposed  rocks  which  you  meet  everywhere,  you  will 
be  surprised  that  there  are  any  rocks  left  in  their  primitive 
condition.  It  is,  however,  the  fact,  that  all  the  rocks  you 
see  are  encased,  as  it  were,  in  a lining  of  the  decomposed 
part  of  their  surface  ; they  are  actually  covered  with  a 
rotten  crust  of  their  own  substance. 

“ Ever  truly  yours, 

“ L.  Agassiz.” 

Among  the  objects  of  special  interest  which  we  have 
seen  here  for  the  first  time  are  the  colossal  fruits  of  the 
Sapucaia-tree,  a species  of  Lecythis,  belonging  to  the  same 
family  as  the  Brazilian  nuts.  These  fruits,  of  which  there 
are  a number  of  species,  vary  from  the  size  of  an  apple  to 
that  of  an  ordinary  melon  ; they  resemble  an  urn  closed 
with  a lid,  and  contain  about  fifty  seeds  as  large  as  almonds. 
The  woods  all  over  these  Tijuca  hills  are  beautiful  and 
wonderfully  luxuriant  ; but  I lack  names  for  the  various 
trees.  We  are  not  yet  familiar  enough  with  the  aspect 
of  - the  forest  to  distinguish  readily  its  different  forms  of 
vegetation  ; and  it  is  besides  exceedingly  difficult  here  to 
ascertain  the  common  names  of  plants.  The  Brazilians  do 
not  seem  to  me  observant  of  nature  in  its  details  ; at  all 
events,  I never  get  a satisfactory  answer  to  the  question  I 


90 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


am  constantly  putting,  “What  do  you  call  this  tree  or 
flower  ? ” And  if  you  ask  a botanist,  he  invariably  gives 
you  the  scientific,  not  the  popular  name,  nor  does  he  seem 
to  be  aware  that  any  such  exists.  I have  a due  respect  for 
nomenclature,  but  when  I inquire  the  name  of  some  very 
graceful  tree  or  some  exquisite  flower,  I like  to  receive  a 
manageable  answer,  something  that  may  fitly  be  introduced 
into  the  privacy  of  domestic  life,  rather  than  the  ponderous 
official  Latin  appellation.  We  are  struck  with  the  variety 
of  Melastomas  in  full  flower  now,  and  very  conspicuous, 
from  their  large  purple  blossoms,  and  have  remarked  also 
several  species  of  the  Bombacese,  easily  distinguished  by 
their  peculiar  foliage  and  large  cotton  fruits.  The  Cande- 
labra-tree  (Cecropia)  is  abundant  here,  as  throughout  the 
neighborhood  of  Rio,  and  is  covered  at  this  season  with 
fruit  resembling  somewhat  the  fruit  of  the  bread-tree,  but 
more  slender  and  cylindrical  in  form.  Large  Euphorbias, 
of  the  size  of  forest-trees,  also  attract  our  attention,  for 
it  is  the  first  time  we  have  seen  them  except  as  shrubs, 
such  as  the  u Estrella  do  Norte”  (Poinsettia).  But  there 
is  before  Mr.  Bennett’s  house  a very  large  nut-tree,  “ No- 
gueira,”  of  this  family.  The  palms  are  numerous  ; among 
them  the  Astrocaryum  Cari,  whose  spiny  stems  and  leaves 
make  it  difficult  to  approach,  is  very  common.  Its  bunches 
of  bright  chestnut-brown  fruit  hang  from  between  the  leaves 
which  form  its  crown,  each  bunch  about  a foot  in  length, 
massive  and  compact,  like  a large  cluster  of  black  Hamburg 
grapes.  The  Syagrus  palm  is  also  frequent  ; it  has-  a 
greenish  fruit  not  unlike  the  olive  in  appearance,  also 
hanging  in  large  • pendent  bunches  just  below  the  leaves. 
The  mass  of  foliage  is  everywhere  knit  together  by  parasitic 
vines  without  number,  and  every  dead  branch  or  fallen 


LIFE  IN  RIO  CONTINUED. 


91 


trunk  is  overgrown  by  parasites.  Foreign  tropical  trees 
are  cultivated  about  the  houses  everywhere,  — bread-fruit 


Fallen  Trunk  overgrown  by  Parasites. 

trees  and  Ameixas,  a kind  of  plum  of  the  hawthorn  family, 
bananas,  etc.  The  bamboo  of  the  East  Indies  also  is  used 
to  form  avenues  in  Rio  de  Janeiro  and  its  environs.  The 
alleys  of  bamboo  in  the  grounds  of  the  palace  at  San  Chris- 
tovao  are  among  its  most  beautiful  ornaments. 

Mr.  Agassiz  has  been  surprised  to  find  that  shrimps  of 
considerable  size  are  common  in  all  the  brooks  and  even 
in  the  highest  pools  of  Tijuca.  It  seems  strange  to  meet 
with  Crustacea  of  marine  forms  in  mountain  streams. 

To-day  we  are  kept  in  the  house  by  a violent  rain,  but 
there  is  enough  to  do  in  looking  over  specimens,  working 
up  journals,  writing  letters,  &c.,  to  prevent  the  time  from 
hanging  heavy  on  our  hands.  To-morrow  we  return  to 
town. 


92 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL 


May  28 th,  Rio.  — To-day  is  Mr.  Agassiz’s  birthday, 
and  it  has  been  so  affectionately  remembered  here  that  it 
is  difficult  to  believe  ourselves  in  a foreign  country.  The 
Swiss  citizens  gave  him  a dinner  yesterday  on  the  eve 
of  the  anniversary,  where  everything  recalled  the  land  of 
his  birth,  without  excluding  the  land  of  his  adoption.  The 
room  was  draped  with  the  flags  of  all  the  Cantons,  while 
the  ceiling  was  covered  by  two  Swiss  national  flags,  united 
in  the  centre  just  above  his  own  seat  by  the  American  flag, 
thus  recognizing  at  once  his  Swiss  nationality  and  his  Ameri- 
can citizenship.*  The  Brazilian  flag  which  gave  them  all 
hospitality  and  protection  had  also  an  honored  place.  The 
fete  is  reported  to  have  been  most  genial  and  gay,  closing 
with  a number  of  student  songs  in  which  all  bore  their 
share,  and  succeeded  by  a serenade  under  our  windows. 
To-day  our  room  is  festive  with  flowers  and  other  deco- 
rations, and  friendly  greetings  on  every  side  remind  us  that, 
though  in  a foreign  land,  we  are  not  among  strangers. 

June  14 th.  — Since  our  return  from  Tijuca  we  have  been 
almost  constantly  in  town,  Mr.  Agassiz  being  engaged,  often 
from  early  morning  till  deep  into  the  night,  in  taking  care 
of  the  specimens  which  come  in  from  every  quarter,  and 
making  the  final  preparations  for  the  parties  which  he 
intends  sending  into  the  interior.  The  most  important  of 
these,  or  rather  the  one  for  which  it  is  most  difficult  to 
procure  the  necessary  facilities,  is  bound  for  the  upper 
course  of  the  San  Francisco.  At  this  point  one  or 
more  of  their  number  will  strike  across  the  country  to 

* Though  a resident  of  the  United  States  tor  nearly  twenty  years,  Mr. 
Agassiz  was  only  naturalized  in  1863.  At  the  moment  when  a general 
distrust  of  our  institutions  prevailed  in  Europe,  it  was  a satisfaction  to  him 
to  testify  by  some  personal  and  public  act  his  confidence  in  them. 


LIFE  IN  RIO  CONTINUED. 


93 


the  Tocantins,  and  descend  that  river  to  the  Amazons, 
while  the  others  will  follow  the  valley  of  the  Piauhy  to 
the  coast.  This  is  a long,  difficult,  but,  as  we  are  as- 
sured, not  a dangerous  journey  for  young  and  vigorous 
men.  But  wishing  to  anticipate  every  trouble  that  may 
befall  them,  Mr.  Agassiz  has  made  it  his  business  to  as- 
certain, as  far  as  possible,  the  nature  of  the  route,  and 
to  obtain  letters  to  the  most  influential  people  for  every 
step  of  the  road.  This  has  been  no  light  task  ; in  a 
country  where  there  are  no  established  means  of  internal 
communication,  where  mules,  guides,  camaradas,  and  even 
an  armed  escort  may  be  necessary,  and  must  be  provided 
for  in  advance,  the  preparation  for  a journey  through  the 
interior  requires  a vast  deal  of  forethought.  Add  to  this 
the  national  habit  of  procrastination,  the  profound  convic- 
tion of  the  Brazilian  that  to-morrow  is  better  than  to-day, 
and  one  may  understand  how  it  happens  that,  although  it 
has  been  a primary  object  since  our  arrival  to  expedite  the 
party  to  the  Tocantins,  their  departure  has  been  delayed 
till  now.  And  yet  it  would  be  the  height  of  ingratitude 
to  give  the  impression  that  there  -has  been  any  backward- 
ness on  the  part  of  the  Brazilians  themselves,  or  of  their 
government,  to  facilitate  the  objects  of  the  expedition.  On 
the  contrary,  they  not  only  show  a warm  interest,  but  the 
utmost  generosity,  and  readiness  to  give  all  the  practical 
aid  in  their  power.  Several  leading  members  of  the  Cabi- 
net, the  Senate,  and  the  House  of  Representatives  have 
found  time  now,  when  they  have  a war  upon  their  hands, 
and  when  one  ministry  has  been  going  out  and  another 
coming  in,  not  only  to  prepare  the  necessary  introductions 
for  these  parties  from  Rio  to  the  Amazons,  but  also  to  write 
out  the  routes,  giving  the  most  important  directions  and 


94 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


information  for  the  separate  journeys.*  Yet  with  the  best 
will  in  the  world  the  Brazilians  know  comparatively  little 
of  the  interior  of  their  own  country.  It  is  necessary  to 
collect  all  that  is  known  from  a variety  of  sources,  and  then 
to  combine  it  as  well  as  may  be,  so  as  to  form  an  organized 
plan.  Even  then  a great  deal  must  be  left  to  be  decided  in 
accordance  with  circumstances  which  no  one  can  foresee. 
No  pains  have  been  spared  to  anticipate  all  the  probable 
difficulties,  and  to  provide  for  them  as  far  as  it  is  humanly 
possible  to  do  so  ; and  we  feel  that  this  journey,  a part 
of  which  has  been  made  by  very  few  persons  before,  has 
never  been  undertaken  under  better  auspices.  This  party 
will  explore  the  upper  course  of  the  Rio  Doce,  the  Rio 
das  Velhas,  and  the  San  Francisco,  with  the  lower  course 
of  the  Tocantins  and  its  tributaries,  as  far  as  they  can  ; 
making  also  collections  of  fossils  in  certain  regions  upon 
the  route.  Another  party,  starting  at  about  the  same  time, 
is  to  keep  nearer  the  coast,  exploring  the  lower  course  of 
the  Rio  Doce  and  the  San  Francisco.  Mr.  Agassiz  thus 
hopes  to  make  at  least  a partial  survey  of  this  great  water 
system,  while  he  himself  undertakes  the  Amazons  and  its 
tributaries.!  In  the  mean  time,  the  result  of  the  weeks 
he  has  been  obliged  to  spend  in  Rio,  while  organizing  the 
work  of  these  parties  and  making  the  practical  arrange- 
ments for  its  prosecution,  has  been  very  satisfactory.  The 
collections  are  large,  and  will  give  a tolerably  complete 
idea  of  the  fauna  of  this  province,  as  well  as  a part  of 

* A short  account  of  these  explorations  may  be  found  at  the  end  of  the 
volume  — L.  A. 

f I am  particularly  indebted  to  Senator  Th.  Ottoni,  Baron  de  Prados, 
Senator  Pompeo,  Senator  Paranagua,  Senhor  Paula  Souza,  and  Senlior  J.  B. 
da  Fonseca,  for  information,  maps,  and  other  documents  relative  to  the  regions 
intended  to  be  explored  by  my  young  friends  and  myself.  — L.  A. 


LIFE  IN  RIO  CONTINUED. 


95 


that  of  Minas  Geraes.  A survey  of  the  Dom  Pedro  Rail- 
road, made  under  his  direction  by  his  two  young  friends, 
Messrs.  Hart  and  St.  John,  is  also  an  excellent  beginning 
of  the  work  in  this  department,  and  his  own  observations 
on  the  drift  phenomena  have  an  important  bearing  on 
the  great  questions  on  which  he  hoped  to  throw  new 
light  in  coming  here.  The  closing  words  of  a lecture 
delivered  by  him  last  evening  at  the  Collegio  Horn  Pedro 
Segundo  will  best  express  his  own  estimation  of  the  facts 
he  has  collected  in  their  bearing  on  the  drift  phenomena  in 
other  parts  of  the  world.  After  giving  some  account  of 
the  erratic  blocks  and  drift  observed  by  him  at  Tijuca 
and  already  described  in  his  letter  to  Mr.  Peirce,  he 
added  : “ I wish  here  to  make  a nice  distinction  that  I 
may  not  be  misunderstood.  I affirm  that  the  erratic  phe- 
nomena, viz.  erratic  drift,  in  immediate  superposition  with 
partially  decomposed  stratified  rock,  exist  here  in  your 
immediate  neighborhood  ; I believe  that  these  phenomena 
are  connected,  here  as  elsewhere,  with  the  action  of  ice. 
It  is  nevertheless  possible  that  a more  intimate  study  of 
these  subjects  in  tropical  regions  may  reveal  some  phase 
of  the  phenomena  not  hitherto  observed,  just  as  the  in- 
vestigation of  the  glacial  action  in  the  United  States  has 
shown  that  immense  masses  of  ice  may  move  over  a 
plain,  as  well  as  over  a mountain  slope.  Let  me  now 
urge  a special  study  of  these  facts  upon  the  young  ge- 
ologists of  Rio,  as  they  have  never  been  investigated  and 
their  presence  is  usually  denied.  If  you  ask  me,  ‘ To 
what  end  ? — of  what  use  is  such  a discovery  ? ’ — I an- 
swer, It  is  given  to  no  mortal  man  to  predict  what  may 
be  the  result  of  any  discovery  in  the  realms  of  nature. 
When  the  electric  current  was  discovered,  what  was  it  ? 


96' 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


A curiosity.  When  the  first  electric  machine  was  in- 
vented, to  what  use  was  it  put  ? To  make  puppets  dance 
for  the  amusement  of  children.  To-day  it  is  the  most 
powerful  engine  of  civilization.  But  should  our  work 
have  no  other  result  than  this,  — to  know  that  certain 
facts  in  nature  are  thus  and  not  otherwise,  that  their 
causes  were  such  and  no  others,  — this  result  in  itself  is 
good  enough,  and  great  enough,  since  the  end  of  man,  his 
aim,  his  glory,  is  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.” 

One  word  upon  these  lectures,  since  we  are  told  by  the 
Brazilians  themselves  that  the  introduction  of  public  lec- 
tures among  them  is  a novelty  and  in  a certain  sense  an 
era  in  their  educational  history.  If  any  subject  of  science 
or  letters  is  to  be  presented  to  the  public  here,  it  is  done 
under  special  conditions  before  a selected  audience,  where 
the  paper  is  read  in  presence  of  the  Emperor  with  all 
due  solemnity.  Popular  instruction,  with  admittance  for 
all  who  care  to  listen  or  to  learn,  has  been  hitherto  a 
thing  unknown.  The  suggestion  was  made  by  Dr.  Pacheco, 
the  Director  of  the  Collegio  Dom  Pedro  II.,  a man  of  liberal 
culture  and  great  intelligence,  who  has  already  done  much 
for  the  progress  of  education  in  Bio  de  Janeiro  ; it  found 
favor  with  the  Emperor,  who  is  keenly  alive  to  anything 
which  can  stimulate  the  love  of  knowledge  among  his 
people,  and  at  his  request  Mr.  Agassiz  has  given  a course  of 
lectures  in  French  on  a variety  of  scientific  subjects.  He 
was  indeed  very  glad  to  have  an  opportunity  of  introducing 
here  a means  of  popular  education  which  he  believes  to 
have  been  very  salutary  in  its  influence  among  us.  At 
first  the  presence  of  ladies  was  objected  to,  as  too  great  an 
innovation  on  national  habits  ; but  even  that  was  overcome, 
and  the  doors  were  opened  to  all  comers,  the  lectures  being 


LIFE  IN  RIO  CONTINUED. 


97 


given  after  the  true  New  England  fashion.  I must  say  that, 
if  the  absolutely  uninterrupted  attention  of  an  audience  is 
any  test  of  its  intelligence,  no  man  could  ask  a better  one 
than  that  which  Mr.  Agassiz  has  had  the  pleasure  of  ad- 
dressing in  Rio  de  Janeiro.  It  has  also  been  a great  pleasure 
to  him,  after  teaching  for  nearly  twenty  years  in  English,  to 
throw  off  the  fetters  of  a foreign  tongue  and  speak  again  in 
French.  After  all,  with  a few  exceptions,  a man’s  native 
language-  remains  for  him  the  best ; it  is  the  element  in 
which  he  always  moves  most  at  ease. 

The  Emperor,  with  his  family,  has  been  present  at  all 
these  lectures,  and  it  is  worthy  of  note,  as  showing  the 
simplicity  of  his  character,  that,  instead  of  occupying  the 
raised  platform  intended  for  them,  he  caused  the  chairs 
to  be  placed  on  a level  with  the  others,  as  if  to  show  that 
in  science  at  least  there  is  no  distinction  of  rank.* 

June  11th.  — To-day  has  been  a festa,  but  one  the  sig- 
nificance of  which  it  is  somewhat  difficult  to  understand, 
so  singularly  is  the  religious  element  mingled  with  the 
grotesque  and  quaint.  In  the  Church  it  is  the  feast  of 
Corpus  Christi,  but  it  happens  to  fall  on  the  same  date  as 
another  festival  in  honor  of  St.  George,  which  is  kept  with 
all  sorts  of  antique  ceremonies.  I went  in  the  morning 

with  our  young  friend,  Mr.  T , to  the  Imperial  chapel, 

where  high  mass  was  celebrated,  and  at  the  close  of  the 
services  we  had  some  difficulty  in  finding  our  way  back 
to  the  hotel,  before  which  the  procession  was  to  pass,  for 
the  street  was  already  draped  with  all  sorts  of  gay  colors 

* Since  it  was  reported  in  the  newspapers  that  the  proceeds  of  these 
lectures  were  devoted  to  the  expedition,  it  may  be  well  to  mention  here 
that  they  were  free,  given  simply  at  the  request  of  the  Emperor,  and  open 
to  all  without  charge. 

5 


e 


98 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


and  crowded  with  spectators.  First  in  order  came  the 
religions  part  of  the  procession  ; a long  array  of  priests 
and  church  officials  carrying  lighted  candles,  pyramids  of 
flowers,  banners,  &c.  Then  came  the  host,  under  a canopy 
of  white  satin  and  gold,  supported  by  massive  staffs  ; the 
bearers  were  the  highest  dignitaries  of  the  land,  first 
among  them  being  the  Emperor  himself  and  his  son-in- 
law,  the  Duke  of  Saxe.  In  strange  contrast  with  these 
solemnities  was  the  stuffed  equestrian  figure  of  St:  George, 
a huge,  unwieldy  shape  on  horseback,  preceded  and  followed 
by  riders  almost  as  grotesque  as  himself.  With  him  came  a 
number  of  orders  resembling,  if  not  the  same  as,  the  Free- 
Masons,  the  Odd  Fellows,  and  like  societies.  The  better 
educated  Brazilians  speak  of  this  procession  as  an  old 
legacy  from  Portugal,  which  lias  lost  its  significance  for 
them,  and  which  they  would  gladly  see  pass  out  of  use,  as 
it  is  already  out  of  date. 

This  evening  Mr.  Agassiz  gave  the  closing  lecture  of  his 
course.  It  is  to  be  followed  next  week  by  a lecture  from 
Dr.  Capanema,  the  Brazilian  geologist,  and  there  will  be 
an  attempt  made  to  organize  courses  of  public  lectures  on 
the  same  plan  hereafter.  Our  numbers  are  gradually  di- 
minishing. Last  week  the  party  for  the  interior,  consisting 
of  Messrs.  St.  John,  Allen,  Ward,  and  Sceva,  started,  and 
Messrs.  Hartt  and  Copeland  leave  in  a day  or  two  to  under- 
take an  exploration  of  the  coast  between  the  Parahyba  do 
Sul  and  Bahia. 

June  80 th.  — On  the  21st  we  left  Rio  on  our  way  to 
the  province  of  Minas  Geraes,  where  we  were  to  pass  a 
week  at  the  coffee  fazenda  of  Senlior  Lage,  who  received 
us  so  courteously  on  our  former  visit  to  Juiz  de  Fora, 
and  who  was  so  influential  in  projecting  and  carrying  out 


FAZENDA  LIFE. 


99 


the  Union  and  Industry  road.  The  journey  to  Juiz  de  Fora, 
though  we  had  made  it  once  before,  had  lost  nothing  of  its 
beauty  by  familiarity,  and  had  gained  in  interest  of  another 
kind  ; for  his  examination  of  the  erratic  drift  at  Tijuca  has 
given  Mr.  Agassiz  the  key  to  the  geological  constitution  of 
the  soil,  and  what  seemed  to  him  quite  inexplicable  on 
our  first  excursion  over  this  road  is  now  perfectly  legible. 
It  is  interesting  to  watch  the  progress  of  an  investigation  of 
this  character,  and  to  see  how  the  mental  process  gradually 
clears  away  the  obscurity.  The  perception  becomes  sharp- 
ened by  dwelling  upon  the  subject,  and  the  mind  adapts 
itself  to  a difficult  problem  as  the  eye  adapts  itself  to  dark- 
ness. That  which  was  confused  at  first  presently  becomes 
clear  to  the  mental  vision  of  the  observer,  who  watches  and 
waits  for  the  light  to  enter.  There  is  one  effect  of  the 
atmospheric  influence  here,  already  alluded  to  in  the 
previous  pages,  which  at  first  sight  is  very  deceptive. 
Wherever  there  is  any  cut  through  drift,  unless  recently 
opened,  it  becomes  baked  at  the  surface  so  as  to  simulate 
stone  in  such  a way  as  hardly  to  be  distinguished  from 
the  decomposed  rock  surfaces  in  place,  unless  by  a careful 
examination.  This,  together  with  the  partial  obliteration 
of  the  stratification  in  many  places,  makes  it,  at  first  glance, 
difficult  to  recognize  the  point  of  contact  between  the 
stratified  rock  and  the  drift  resting  above  it.  A little 
familiarity  with  these  deceptive  appearances,  however, 
makes  it  as  easy  to  read  the  broken  leaves  of  the  book 
of  nature  here  as  elsewhere,  and  Mr.  Agassiz  has  now 
no  more  difficulty  in  following  the  erratic  phenomena  in 
these  Southern  regions  than  in  the  Northern  hemisphere. 
All  that  is  wanting  to  complete  the  evidence  of  the  actual 
presence  of  ice  here,  in  former  times,  is  the  glacial  writing, 


100 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


the  gitriae  and  furrows  and  polish  which  mark  its  track 
in  the  temperate  zone.  These  one  can  hardly  hope  to 
find  where  the  rock  is  of  so  perishable  a character  and 
its  disintegration  so  rapid.  But  this  much  is  certain, — 
a sheet  of  drift  covers  the  country,  composed  of  a homo- 
geneous paste  without  trace  of  stratification,  containing 
loose  materials  of  all  sorts  and  sizes,  imbedded  in  it 
without  reference  to  weight,  large  boulders,  smaller  stones, 
pebbles,  and  the  like.  This  drift  is  very  unevenly  dis- 
tributed ; sometimes  rising  into  high  hills,  owing  to  the 
surrounding  denudations  ; sometimes  covering  the  surface 
merely  as  a thin  layer  ; sometimes,  and  especially  on  steep 
slopes,  washed  completely  away,  leaving  the  bare  face  of 
the  rock ; sometimes  deeply  gullied,  so  as  to  produce  a suc- 
cession of  depressions  and  elevations  alternating  with  each 
other.  To  this  latter  cause  is  due,  in  great  degree,  the  bil- 
lowy, undulating  character  of  the  valleys.  Another  cause 
of  difficulty  in  tracing  the  erratic  phenomena  consists  in 
the  number  of  detached  fragments  which  have  fallen  from 
the  neighboring  heights.  It  is  not  always  easy  to  distin- 
guish these  from  the  erratic  boulders.  But  a number  of  lo- 
calities exist,  nevertheless,  where  the  drift  rests  immediate- 
ly above  stratified  rock,  with  the  boulders  protruding  from 
it,  the  line  of  contact  being  perfectly  distinct.  It  is  a curi- 
ous fact,  that  one  may  follow  the  drift  everywhere  in  this 
region  by  the  prosperous  coffee  plantations.  Here  as  else- 
where ice  has  been  the  great  fertilizer,  — a gigantic  plough 
grinding  the  rocks  to  powder  and  making  a homogeneous 
soil  in  which  the  greatest  variety  of  chemical  elements  are 
brought  together  from  distant  localities.  So  far  as  we  have 
followed  these  phenomena  in  the  provinces  of  Rio  and  Mi- 
nas Geraes,  the  thriving  coffee  plantations  are  upon  erratic 


FAZENDA  LIFE. 


101 


drift,  the  poorer  growth  upon  decomposed  rock  in  place. 
Upon  remarking  this,  we  were  told  that  the  farmers  who 
are  familiar  with  the  soil  select  that  in  which  they  find 
loose  rocks  imbedded,  because  it  is  the  most  fertile. 
They  unconsciously  seek  the  erratic  drift.  It  may  not 
be  amiss  to  point  out  some  of  the  localities  in  which 
these  geological  phenomena  may  be  most  readily  studied, 
since  they  lie  along  the  public  road,  and  are  easy  of  access. 
The  drift  is  very  evident  in  the  swamp  between  Mau&  and 
Raiz  da  Serra  on  the  way  to  Petropolis.  In  ascending 
the  Serra  at  the  half-way  house  there  is  an  excellent 
locality  for  observing  drift  and  boulders  ; and  beyond  one 
may  follow  the  drift  up  to  the  very  top  of  the  road.  The 
whole  tract  between  Villa  Theresa  and  Petropolis  is  full 
of  drift.  Just  outside  of  Petropolis,  the  Piabanha  has 
excavated  its  bed  in  drift,  while  the  banks  have  been 
ravined  by  the  rains.  At  the  station  of  Correio,  in  front 
of  the  building,  is  also  an  admirable  opportunity  for  ob- 
serving all  the  erratic  phenomena,  for  here  the  drift,  with 
large  boulders  interspersed  throughout  the  mass,  overlies 
the  rock  in  place.  A few  steps  to  the  north  of  the  station 
Pedro  do  Rio  there  is  another  great  accumulation  of  large 
boulders  in  drift.  These  are  but  a few  of  the  localities 
where  such  facts  may  be  observed. 

On  the  evening  of  the  22d  we  arrived  at  Juiz  de  Fora, 
and  started  at  sunrise  the  next  morning  for  the  fazenda 
of  Senhor  Lage,  some  thirty  miles  beyond.  We  had  a 
gay  party,  consisting  of  the  family  of  Senhor  Lage  and  that 
of  his  brother-in-law,  Senhor  Machado,  with  one  or  two 
other  friends  and  ourselves.  The  children  were  as  merry 
as  possible,  for  a visit  to  the  fazenda  was  a rarity,  and  looked 
upon  by  them  as  a great  festivity.  To  transport  us  all  with 


102 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


our  luggage,  two  large  coaclies  were  provided,  several  mules, 
and  a small  carriage,  while  a travelling  photographic  ma- 
chine, belonging  to  Senhor  Machado,  who  is  an  admirable 
photographist,  brought  up  the  rear.*  The  day  was  beauti- 
ful and  our  road  lay  along  the  side  of  the  Serra,  command- 
ing fine  views  of  the  inland  country  and  the  coffee  planta- 
tions which  covered  the  hillsides  wherever  the  primeval 
forest  had  been  cut  down.  The  road  is  another  evidence 
of  the  intelligence  and  energy  of  the  proprietor.  The  old 
roads  are  mere  mule  tracks  up  one  side  of  the  Serra  and 
down  the  other,  gullied  of  course  by  all  the  heavy  rains 
and  rendered  at  times  almost  impassable.  Senhor  Lage 
has  shown  his  neighbors  what  may  be  done  for  their 
comfort  in  a country  life  by  abandoning  the  old  method, 
and,  instead  of  carrying  the  road  across  the  mountain, 
cutting  it  in  the  side  with  so  gradual  an  ascent  as  to 
make  the  ride  a very  easy  one.  It  is  but  a four  hours’ 
drive  now  from  Juiz  de  Fora  to  the  fazenda,  whereas, 
until  the  last  year,  it  was  a day’s,  or  even  in  bad  weather 
a two  days’  journey  on  horseback.  It  is  much  to  be  desired 
that  his  example  should  be  followed,  for  the  absence  of  any 
tolerable  roads  in  the  country  makes  travelling  in  the 
interior  almost  an  impossibility,  and  is  the  most  serious 
obstacle  to  the  general  progress  and  prosperity.  It  seems 
strange  that  the  governments  of  the  different  provinces, 
at  least  of  the  more  populous  ones,  such  as  Minas  Geraes 
and  Rio,  should  not  organize  a system  of  good  highways 
for  the  greater  facility  of  commerce.  The  present  mode 
of  transportation  on  mule  back  is  slow  and  cumbrous 

* Mr.  Agassiz  was  indebted  to  Senhor  Machado  for  a valuable  series  of 
photographs  and  stereoscopic  views  of  this  region,  begun  on  this  excursion 
and  completed  duiing  cur  absence  in  the  North  of  Brazil. 


FAZENDA  DE  SANTA  ANNA  IN  MINAS  GERAES. 


FAZENDA  LIFE. 


103 


in  the  highest  degree ; it  would  seem  as  if,  where  the  pro- 
duce of  the  interior  is  so  valuable,  good  roads  would  pay  for 
themselves  very  soon. 

At  about  eleven  o’clock  we  arrived  at  the  “ Fazenda,” 
the  long,  low,  white  buildings  of  which  enclosed  an  ob- 
long, open  space  divided  into  large  squares,  where  the 
coffee  was  drying.  Only  a part  of  this  extensive  build- 
ing is  occupied  as  the  living  rooms  of  the  family  ; the 
rest  is  devoted  to  all  sorts  of  objects  connected  with  the 
care  of  the  coffee,  provision  for  the  negroes,  and  the  like. 

When  we  reached  the  plantation  the  guests  had  not  all 
arrived.  The  special  occasion  of  this  excursion  to  the  fa- 
zenda was  the  festival  of  San  Joao,  kept  always  with  great 
ceremonies  in  the  country  ; the  whole  week  was  to  be  de- 
voted to  hunting,  and  Senhor  Lage  had  invited  all  the  best 
sportsmen  in  the  neighborhood  to  join  in  the  chase.  It  will 
be  seen  in  the  end  that  these  hunters  formed  themselves 
into  a most  valuable  corps  of  collectors  for  Mr.  Agassiz. 
After  an  excellent  breakfast  we  started  on  horseback  for 
the  forest  with  such  of  the  company  as  had  already  as- 
sembled. The  ride  through  the  dense,  deep,  quiet  wood 
was  beautiful ; and  the  dead  pause  when  some  one  thought 
the  game  was  near,  the  hushed  voices,  the  breathless  waiting 
for  the  shot  which  announced  success  or  failure,  only  added 
a charm  to  the  scene.  They  have  a strange  way  of  hunting 
here  ; as  the  forest  is  perfectly  impenetrable,  they  scatter 
food  in  a cleared  space  for  the  animals,  and  build  green 
screens,  leaving  holes  to  look  through ; behind  such  a screen 
the  hunter  waits  and  watches  for  hours  perhaps,  till  the 
paca,  or  peccary,  or  capivara  steals  out  to  feed.  The  ladies 
dismounted  and  found  a cool  seat  in  one  of  these  forest 
lodges,  where  they  waited  for  the  hunt.  No  great  success, 


104 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


after  all,  this  afternoon,  but  some  birds  which  were  valuable 
as  specimens.  We  rode  home  in  the  evening  to  a late 
dinner,  after  which  an  enormous  bonfire,  built  by  the 
negroes  in  honor  of  the  Eve  of  St.  Joao,  was  lighted  in 
front  of  the  house.  The  scene  was  exceedingly  pictu- 
resque, the  whole  establishment,  the  neighboring  negro 
huts,  and  the  distant  forest  being  illuminated  by  the 
blaze,  around  which  the  blacks  were  dancing,  accompa- 
nying their  wild  gestures  with  song  and  drum.  Every 
now  and  then  a burst  of  fireworks  added  new  brightness 
to  the  picture. 

The  next  day,  the  24tli,  began  with  a long  ride  on  horse- 
back before  breakfast,  after  which  I accompanied  Mr.  Agassiz 
on  a sort  of  exploration  among  the  Cupim  nests  (the  nests 
of  the  Termites).  These  are  mounds  sometimes  three  or 
four  or  even  six  feet  high,  and  from  two  to  three  or  four 
feet  in  diameter,  of  an  > extraordinary  solidity,  almost  as 
hard  as  rock.  Senlior  Lage  sent  with  us  several  negroes 
carrying  axes  to  split  them  open,  which,  with  all  their 
strength,  proved  no  easy  task.  These  nests  appear  usually 
to  have  been  built  around  some  old  trunk  or  root  as  a 
foundation  ; the  interior,  with  its  endless  serpentine  pas- 
sages, looked  not  unlike  the  convolutions  of  a meandrina  or 
brain  coral  ; the  walls  of  the  passages  seemed  to  be  built  of 
earth  that  had  been  chewed  or  kneaded  in  some  way,  giv- 
ing them  somewhat  the  consistency  of  paper.  The  interior 
was  quite  soft  and  brittle,  so  that  as  soon  as  the  negroes 
could  break  through  the  outer  envelope,  about  six  inches 
in  thickness,  the  whole  structure  readily  fell  to  pieces. 
It  had  no  opening  outside,  but  we  found,  on  uprooting 
one  of  these  edifices  from  the  bottom1,  that  the  whole 
case  was  perforated  with  holes  leading  into  the  ground 


FAZENDA  LIFE. 


105 


beneath.  The  interior  of  all  of  them  swarmed  with  the 
different  kinds  of  inhabitants  ; the  little  white  ones,  the 
larger  black  ones  with  brown  heads  and  powerful  forceps, 
and  in  each  were  found  one  or  two  very  large  swollen 
white  ones,  quite  different  in  dimensions  and  appearance 
from  the  rest,  probably  the  queens.  With  the  assistance 
of  the  negroes,  Mr.  Agassiz  made,  for  future  examination, 
a large  collection  of  all  the  different  kinds  of  individuals 
thus  living  together  in  various  numeric  proportions,  and 
he  would  gladly  have  carried  away  one  of  the  nests,  but 
they  are  too  cumbersome  for  transportation.  The  Cupim 
nests  are  very  different  from  the  dwellings  of  the  Sauba 
ants,  which  have  large  external  openings.  The  latter 
make  houses  by  excavating,  and  sometimes  undermine  a 
hill  so  extensively,  with  their  long  galleries,  that  when 
a . fire  is  lighted  at  one  of  the  entrances  to  exterminate 
them,  the  smoke  issues  at  numerous  openings,  distant  per- 
haps a quarter  of  a mile  from  each  other,  showing  in  how 
many  directions  they  have  tunnelled  out  the  hill,  and 
that  their  winding  passages  communicate  with  each  other 
throughout.  So  many  travellers  have  given  accounts  of 
these  ant-liouses,  and  of  the  activity  of  their  inhabitants 
in  stripping  and  carrying  off  the  leaves  of  trees  to  deposit 
them  in  their  habitations,  that  it  hardly  seems  worth  while 
to  repeat  the  story.  Yet  no  one  can  see  without  aston- 
ishment one  of  these  ant-armies  travelling  along  the  road 
they  have  worn  so  neatly  for  themselves,  those  who  are 
coming  from  the  trees  looking  like  a green  procession,  al- 
most hidden  by  the  fragments  of  leaves  they  carry  on  their 
acks,  while  the  returning  troops,  who  have  already  de 
sited  their  burden,  are  hurrying  back  for  more.  There 
ms  to  be  another  set  of  individuals  running  to  and  fro, 


106 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


whose  oifice  is  not  quite  so  clear,  unless  it  be  to  marshal 
the  whole  swarm  and  act  as  a kind  of  police.  This  view 
is  confirmed  by  an  anecdote  related  by  an  American  resi- 
dent here,  who  told  us  that  he  once  saw  an  ant,  return- 
ing without  his  load  to  the  house,  stopped  by  one  of  these 
anomalous  individuals,  severely  chastised  and  sent  back  to 
the  tree  apparently  to  do  his  appointed  task.  The  Sauba 
ants  are  very  injurious  to  the  coffee  shrubs,  and  difficult  to 
exterminate.* 

In  the  afternoon,  the  hunters  of  the  neighborhood  began 
to  come  in  and  the  party  was  considerably  enlarged.  This 
fazenda  life,  at  least  on  an  informal  jovial  occasion  like  this, 
has  a fascinating  touch  of  the  Middle  Ages  in  it.  I am 
always  reminded  of  this  when  we  assemble  for  dinner 
in  the  large  dimly  lighted  hall,  where  a long  table,  laden 
with  game  and  with  large  haunches  of  meat,  stands  ready 
for  the  miscellaneous  company,  daily  growing  in  numbers. 
At  the  upper  end  sit  the  family  with  their  immediate  guests  ; 
below,  with  his  family,  is  the  “ Administrador,”  whose  office 
I suppose  corresponds  to  that  of  overseer  on  a Southern 
plantation.  In  this  instance  he  is  a large  picturesque- 
looking  man,  generally  equipped  in  a kind  of  gray  blouse 
strapped  around  the  waist  by  a broad  black  belt,  in  which 
are  powder-flask  and  knife,  with  a bugle  slung  over  his 
shoulder,  a slouched  hat,  and  high  top-boots.  During  din- 
ner a number  of  chance  cavaliers  drop  in,  entirely  without 
ceremony,  in  hunter’s  costume,  as  they  return  from  the 
chase.  Then  at  night,  or  rather  early  in  the  morning, 
(for  the  Brazilian  habit  is  “ early  to  bed  and  early  to  rise,” 
in  order  to  avoid  the  heat,)  what  jollity  and  song,  sounding 

* The  most  complete  account  of  these  curious  animals  is  to  be  found  J 
Bates's  “ Naturalist  on  the  Amazons.” 


FAZENDA  LIFE. 


107 


the  bugles  long  before  the  dawn,  twanging  the  guitar  and 
whistling  on  the  peculiar  instrument  used  here  to  call  the 
game.  Altogether  it  is  the  most  novel  and  interesting 
collection  of  social  elements,  mingling  after  a kind  of  pic- 
nic fashion  without  the  least  formality,  and  we  feel  every 
day  how  much  we  owe  to  our  kind  hosts  for  admitting 
us  to  an  occasion  where  one  sees  so  much  of  what  is 
national  and  characteristic.  The  next  day  we  went  to 
breakfast  at  a smaller  fazenda  belonging  also  to  Senhor 
Lage,  higher  up  on  the  Serra  da  Babylonia.  Again,  start- 
ing before  sunrise,  we  went  slowly  up  the  mountain,  the 
summit  of  which  is  over  3,000  feet  above  the  sea  level. 
We  were  preceded  by  the  “ liteira,”  a queer  kind  of  car 
slung  between  two  mules,  in  which  rode  the  grandmamma 
and  the  baby ; as  carriages  are  impossible  on  these  moun- 
tain roads,  some  such  conveyance  is  necessary  for  those 
who  are  too  old  or  too  young  for  horseback  travelling. 
The  view  was  lovely,  the  morning  cool  and  beautiful,  and 
after  a two  hours’  ride  we  arrived  at  the  upper  fazenda. 
Here  we  left  our  horses  and  went  on  foot  into  the  forest, 
where  the  ladies  and  children  wandered  about,  gathering 
flowers  and  exploring  the  wood  walks,  while  the  gentle- 
men occupied  themselves  with  fishing  * and  hunting  till 
midday,  when  we  returned  to  the  house  to  breakfast. 
The  result  of  the  chase  was  a monkey,  two  caititu  (wild 
pigs),  and  a great  variety  of  birds,  all  of  which  went  to 
swell  the  scientific  collections.*  We  returned  to  dine  at 

* I was  especially  interested  in  examining  the  vegetable  productions  of  a 
little  lake,  hardly  larger  than  a mill-pond,  near  this  fazenda.  It  was  strange 
to  see  Potamogeton  and  Myriophyllum,  plants  which  we  associate  exclusively 
with  the  fresh  waters  of  the  temperate  zone,  growing  in  the  shadow  of  tropical 
forests  where  monkeys  have  their  home.  Such  combinations  are  very  puzzling 
to  the  student  of  the  laws  of  geographical  distribution.  — L.  A. 


108 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


the  lower  fazenda,  and  all  retired  soon  after,  for  the  next 
day  the  great  hunt  of  the  week  would  take  place,  and  we 
were  to  be  early  astir. 

At  dawn  the  horses  were  at  the  door,  and  we  were  mount- 
ing the  Serra  before  sunrise.  We  were  bound  to  a fazenda 
on  the  Serra  da  Babylonia,  some  two  leagues  from  the  one 
at  which  we  were  staying,  and  on  higher  ground,  too  high 
indeed  for  the  culture  of  coffee,  and  devoted  to  pasture 
land.  It  is  here  that  Senlior  Lage  has  his  horses  and 
cattle.  The  ride  along  the  zigzag  road  winding  up  the 
Serra  was  delightful  in  the  early  morning.  The  clouds 
were  flushed  with  the  dawn ; the  distant  hills  and  the  for- 
est, spreading  endlessly  beneath  us,  glowed  in  the  sunrise. 
The  latter  part  of  the  road  lay  mostly  through  the  woods, 
and  brought  us  out,  after  #some  two  hours’  ride,  on  the 
brow  of  a hill  overlooking  a small  lake,  sunk  in  a cup- 
like depression  of  the  mountain,  just  beyond  which  was 
the  fazenda.  The  scenic  effect  was  very  pretty,  for  the 
border  of  the  lake  was  ornamented  with  flags,  and  on 
its  waters  floated  a little  miniature  steamer  with  the 
American  flag  at  one  end  and  the  Brazilian  at  the  other. 
Our  host  invited  us  to  ride  in  at  the  gate  of  the  fazenda, 
in  advance  of  the  rest  of  our  cavalcade,  a request  which 
we  understood  when,  as  we  passed  the  entrance,  the  little 
steamer  put  into  shore,  and,  firing  a salute  in  our  honor, 
showed  its  name,  Agassiz,  in  full.  It  was  a pleasant  sur- 
prise very  successfully  managed.  After  the  little  excite- 
ment of  this  incident  was  over,  we  went  to  the  house  to  tie 
up  our  riding-habits  and  prepare  for  the  woods.  We  then 
embarked  in  the  newly-christened  boat  and  crossed  the  lake 
to  a forest  on  the  other  side.  Here  were  rustic  tables  and 
seats  arranged  under  a tent  where  we  were  to  breakfast ; 


FAZENDA  LIFE. 


109 


but  while  the  meal  was  making  ready  and  a fire  building 
for  the  boiling  of  coffee,  the  stewing  of  chicken,  rice,  and 
other  creature  comforts,  we  wandered  at  will  in  the  wood. 
This  was  the  most  beautiful,  because  the  wildest  and  most 
primitive,  specimen  of  tropical  forest  we  have  yet.  seen. 
I think  no  description  prepares  one  for  the  difference 
between  this  forest  and  our  own,  even  though  the  latter 
be  the  “ forest  primeval.”  It  is  not  merely  the  difference 
of  the  vegetation,  but  the  impenetrability  of  the  mass  here 
that  makes  the  density,  darkness,  and  solemnity  of  the 
woods  so  impressive.  It  seems  as  if  the  mode  of  growth  — 
many  of  the  trees  shooting  up  to  an  immense  height,  but 
branching  only  toward  the  top  — were  meant  to  give  room 
to  the  legion  of  parasites,  sipos,  lianas,  and  climbing  plants 
of  all  kinds  which  fill  the  intervening  spaces.  There  is  one 
fact  which  makes  the-  study  of  the  tropical  forest  as  inter- 
esting to  the  geologist  as  to  the  botanist,  namely,  its  rela- 
tion to  the  vegetable  world  of  past  ages  hidden  in  the 
rocks.  The  tree-ferns,  the  Chamaerops,  the  Pandanus,  the 
Araucarias,  are  all  modern  representatives  of  past  types, 
and  this  walk  in  the  forest  was  an  important  one  to  Mr. 
Agassiz,  because  he  made  out  one  of  those  laws  of  growth 
which  unite  the  past  and  the  present.  The  Chamaerops  is  a 
palm  belonging  to  the  ancient  vegetable  world,  but  having 
its  representatives  in  our  days.  The  modern  Chamaerops, 
with  its  fan-like  leaves  spreading  on  one  level,  stands  struc- 
turally lower  than  the  Palms  with  pinnate  leaves,  which 
belong  almost  exclusively  to  our  geological  age,  and  have 
numerous  leaflets  arranged  along  either  side  of  a central 
axis.  The  young  Palms  were  exceedingly  numerous,  spring- 
ing up  at  every  step  upon  our  path,  some  of  them  not  more 
than  two  inches  high,  while  their  elders  towered  fifty  feet 


110 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


above  them.  Mr.  Agassiz  gathered  and  examined  great 
numbers  of  them,  and  found  that  the  young  Palms,  to 
whatever  genus  they  may  belong,  invariably  resemble  the 
Chamserops,  having  their  leaves  extending  fan-like  on  one 
plane,  instead  of  being  scattered  along  a central  axis,  as 
in  the  adult  tree.  The  infant  Palm  is  in  fact  the  mature 
Chamaerops  in  miniature,  showing  that  among  plants  as 
among  animals,  at  least  in  some  instances,  there  is  a cor- 
respondence between  the  youngest  stages  of  growth  in  the 
higher  species  of,  a given  type  and  the  earliest  introduction 
of  that  type  on  earth.* 

At  the  close  of  our  ramble,  from  which  the  Professor 
returned  looking  not  unlike  an  ambulatory  representative, 
of  tropical  vegetation,  being  loaded  down  with  palm-branch- 
es, tree-ferns,  and  the  like,  we  found  breakfast  awaiting  us. 
Some  of  our  party  were  missing,  however,  the  hunters 
having  already  taken  their  stations  at  some  distance  near 
the  water.  The  game  was  an  Anta  (Tapir),  a curious 
animal,  abounding  in  the  woods  of  this  region.  It  has  a 
special  interest  for  the  naturalist,  because  it  resembles 
certain  ancient  mammalia  now  found  only  among  the 
fossils,  just  as  the  tree-fern,  Chamgerops,  &c.  resemble 
past  vegetable  types.  Although  Mr.  Agassiz  had  seen  it 
in  confinement,  he  had  a great  desire  to  observe  it  in 
action  under  its  natural  condition,  and  in  the  midst  of  a 
tropical  forest  as  characteristic  of  old  geological  times 
as  the  creature  itself.  It  was,  in  fact,  to  gratify  this  desire 
that  Mr.  Lage  had  planned  the  hunt.  “ L’homme  propose 
et  Dieu  dispose,”  however,  and,  as  the  sequel  will  show, 

* In  the  same  way,  it  may  be  said  that  in  its  incipient  growth  the  Dicoty- 
ledonous Plant  exhibits,  in  the  structure  of  its  ge/minative  leaves,  the  character- 
istic features  of  Monocotyledonous  Plants.  — L A 


FAZENDA  LIFE. 


Ill 


we  were  not  destined  to  see  an  Anta  this  day.  The  forest 
being,  as  I have  said,  impenetrable  to  the  hunter,  except 
where  paths  have  been  cut,  the  game  is  roused  by  sending 
the  dogs  into  the  wood,  the  sportsmen  stationing  themselves 
at  certain  distances  on  the  outskirts.  The  Anta  has  his 
haunts  near  lakes  or  rivers,  and  when  wearied  and  heated 
with  the  chase  he  generally  makes  for  the  water,  and, 
springing  in,  is  shot  as  he  swims  across.  As  we  were 
lingering  over  the  breakfast-table  we  heard  the  shout  of 
Anta  ! Anta  ! In  an  instant  every  man  sprang  to  his 
gun  and  ran  down  to  the  water-side,  while  we  all  stood 
waiting,  listening  to  the  cries  of  the  dogs,  now  frantic 
with  excitement,  and  expecting  . every  moment  the  rush 
of  the  hunted  animal  and  his  spring  into  the  lake.  But 
it  was  a false  alarm  ; the  cries  of  the  dogs  died  away  in  the 
distance : the  day  was  colder  than  usual,  the  Anta  turned 
back  from  the  water,  and,  leading  his  pursuers  a weary 
chase,  was  lost  in  the  forest.  After  a time  the  dogs 
returned,  looking  tired  and  dispirited.  But  though  we 
missed  the  Tapir,  we  saw  enough  of  the  sport  to  under- 
stand what  makes  the  charm  to  the  hunter  of  watching 
for  hours  in  the  woods,  and  perhaps  returning,  after  all, 
empty-handed.  If  he  does  not  get  the  game,  he  has  the 
emotion  ; every  now  and  then  he  thinks  the  creature  is 
at  hand,  and  he  has  a momentary  agitation,  heightened  by 
the  cries  of  the  dogs  and  the  answering  cry  of  the  sports- 
men, who  strive  to  arouse  them  to  the  utmost  by  their 
own  shouts,  and  then  if  the  animal  turns  back  into  the 
thicket  all  sound  dies  away,  and  to  a very  pandemonium 
of  voices  succeed  the  silence  and  solitude  of  the  forest. 
All  these  things  have  their  fascination,  and  explain  to 
the  uninitiated,  to  whom  it  seems  at  first  incomprehensible. 


112 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


why  these  men  will  wait  motionless  for  hours,  and  think 
themselves  repaid  (as  I heard  one  of  them  declare)  if  they 
only  hear  the  cry  of  the  dogs  and  know  they  have  roused 
the  game,  even  if  there  be  no  other  result.  However,  in 
this  instance,  we  had  plenty  of  other  booty.  The  Anta  lost, 
the  hunters,  who  had  carefully  avoided  firing  hitherto,  lest 
the  sounds  of  their  guns  should  give  him  warning,  now 
turned  their  attention  to  lesser  game,  and  we  rode  home 
in  the  afternoon  rich  in  spoils,  though  without  a Tapir. 

The  next  day  was  that  of  our  departure.  Before  leav- 
ing, we  rode  with  Mr.  Lage  through  his  plantation,  that 
we  might  understand  something  of  the  process  of  coffee 
culture  in  this  country.  # I am  not  sure  that,  in  giving 
an  account  of  this  model  fazenda,  we  give  a just  idea 
of  fazendas  in  general.  Its  owner  carries  the  same  large 
and  comprehensive  spirit,  the  same  energy  and  force  of  will, 
into  all  his  undertakings,  and  has  introduced  extensive 
reforms  on  his  plantations.  The  Fazenda  da  Fortaleza 
de  Santa  Anna  lies  at  the  foot  of  the  Serra  da  Babylonia. 
The  house  itself,  as  I have  already  said,  makes  a part  of  a 
succession  of  low  white  buildings,  enclosing  an  oblong 
square  divided  into  neat  lots,  destined  for  the  drying  of 
coffee.  This  drying  of  the  coffee  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  the  house,  though  it  seems  a very  general  custom,  must 
be  an  uncomfortable  one  ; for  the  drying-lots  are  laid  down 
in  a dazzling  white  cement,  from  the  glare  of  which,  in  this 
hot  climate,  the  eye  turns  wearily  away,  longing  for  a green 
spot  on  which  to  rest.  Just  behind  the  house  on  the  slope 
of  the  hill  is  the  orangery.  I am  never  tired  of  these 
golden  orchards,  and  this  was  one  of  especial  beauty. 
The  small,  deep-colored  tangerines,  sometimes  twenty  or 
thirty  in  one  cluster,  the  large,  choice  orange,  “ Laranja 


FAZENDA  LIFE. 


113 


selecta,”  as  it  is  called,  often  ten  or  twelve  together  in  a 
single  bunch,  and  bearing  the  branches  to  the  ground 
with  their  weight  ; the  paler  “ Limao  d6ce,”  or  sweet 
lemon,  rather  insipid,  but  greatly  esteemed  here  for  its 
cool,  refreshing  properties,  — all  these,  with  many  others, 
— for  the  variety  of  oranges  is  far  greater  than  we  of  the 
temperate  zone  conceive  it  to  be, — make  a mass  of  color 
in  which  gold,  deep  orange,  and  pale  yellow  are  blended 
wonderfully  with  the  background  of  green.  Beyond  the 
house  enclosure,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road,  are 
the  gardens,  with  aviary,  and  fish-ponds  in  the  centre. 
With  these  exceptions,  all  of  the  property  which  is  not 
forest  is  devoted  to  coffee,  covering  all  the  hillsides  for 
miles  around.  The  seed  is  planted  in  nurseries  especially 
prepared,  where  it  undergoes  its  first  year’s  growth.  It 
is  then  transplanted  to  its  permanent  home,  and  begins 
to  bear  in  about  three  years,  the  first  crop  being  of  course 
a very  light  one.  From  that  time  forward,  under  good 
care  and  with  favorable  soil,  it  will  continue  to  bear  and 
even  to  yield  two  crops  or  more  annually,  for  thirty 
years  in  succession.  At  that  time  the  shrubs  and  the  soil 
are  alike  exhausted,  and,  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
country,  the  fazendeiro  cuts  down  a new  forest  and  be- 
gins a new  plantation,  completely  abandoning  his  old 
one,  without  a thought  of  redeeming  or  fertilizing  the 
exhausted  land.  One  of  the  long-sighted  reforms  under- 
taken by.  our  host  is  the  manuring  of  all  the  old,  deserted 
plantations  on  his  estate  ; he  has  already  a number  of 
vigorous  young  plantations,  which  promise  to  be  as  good 
as  if  a virgin  forest  had  been  sacrificed  to  produce  them. 
He  ^wishes  not  only  to  preserve  the  wood  on  his  own 
estate,  and  to  show  that  agriculture  need  not  be  culti- 


114 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


vated  at  the  expense  of  taste  and  beauty,  but  to  remind 
bis  country  people  also,  that,  extensive  as  are  the  forests, 
they  will  not  last  forever,  and  that  it  will  be  necessary 
to  emigrate  before  long  to  find  new  coffee  grounds,  if 
the  old  ones  are  to  be  considered  worthless.  Another 
of  his  reforms  is  that  of  the  roads,  already  alluded  to. 
The  ordinary  roads  in  tho  coffee  plantations,  like  the  mule- 
tracks  all  over  the  country,  are  carried  straight  up  the 
sides  of  the  hills  between  the  lines  of  shrubs,  gullied  by 
every  rain,  and  offering,  besides,  so  steep  an  ascent  that 
even  with  eight  or  ten  oxen  it  is  often  impossible  to  drive 
the  clumsy,  old-fashioned  carts  up  the  slope,  and  the  negroes 
are  obliged  to  bring  a great  part  of  the  harvest  down  on 
their  heads.  An  American,  who  has  been  a great  deal  on 
the  coffee  fazendas  in  this  region,  told  me  that  he  had  seen 
negroes  bringing  enormous  burdens  of  this  kind  on  their 
heads  down  almost  vertical  slopes.  On  Senhor  Lage’s 
estate  all  these  old  roads  are  abandoned,  except  where 
they  are  planted  here  and  there  with  alleys  of  orange- 
trees  for  the  use  of  the  negroes,  and  he  has  substituted 
for  them  winding  roads  in  the  side  of  the  hill  with  a 
very  gradual  ascent,  so  that  light  carts  dragged  by  a 
single  mule  can  transport  all  the  harvest  from  the  sum- 
mit of  the  plantation  to  the  drying-ground.  It  was  the 
harvesting  .season,  and  the  spectacle  was  a pretty  one. 
The  negroes,  men  and  women,  were  scattered  about  the 
plantations  with  broad,  shallow  trays,  made  of  plaited  grass 
or  bamboo,  strapped  over  their  shoulders  and  supported  at 
their  waists  ; into  these  they  were  gathering  the  coffee, 
some  of  the  berries  being  brilliantly  red,  some  already 
beginning  to  dry  and  turn  brown,  while  here  and  there 
was  a green  one  not  yet  quite  ripe,  but  soon  to  ripen  in  the 


FAZENDA  LIFE. 


115 


scorching  sun.  Little  black  children  were  sitting  on  the 
ground  and  gathering  what  fell  under  the  bushes,  singing 
at  their  work  a monotonous  but  rather  pretty  snatch  of 
song  in  which  some  took  the  first  and  others  the  second, 
making  a not  inharmonious  music.  As  their  baskets  were 
filled  they  came  to  the  Administrador  to  receive  a little 
metal  ticket  on  which  the  amount  of  their  work  was 
marked.  A task  is  allotted  to  each  one,  — so  much  to 
a full-grown  man,  so  much  to  a woman  with  young  chil- 
dren, so  much  to  a child,  — and  each  one  is  paid  for  what- 
ever he  may  do  over  and  above  it.  The  requisition  is  a 
very  moderate  one,  so  that  the  industrious  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  making  a little  money  independently.  At  night 
they  all  present  their  tickets  and  are  paid  on  the  spot  for 
any  extra  work.  From  the  harvesting-ground  we  followed 
the  carts  down  to  the  place  where  their  burden  is  deposited. 
On  their  return  from  the  plantation  the  negroes  divide  the 
day’s  harvest,  and  dispose  it  in  little  mounds  on  the  dry- 
ing-ground. When  pretty  equally  dried,  the  coffee  is 
spread  out  in  thin  even  layers  over  the  whole  enclosure, 
where  it  is  baked  for  the  last  time.  It  is  then  hulled  by 
a very  simple  machine  in  use  on  almost  all  the  fazendas, 
and  the  process  is  complete.  At  noon  we  bade  good  by 
to  our  kind  hosts,  and  started  for  Juiz  de  Fora.  Our  stage 
was  not  a bad  imitation  of  Noah’s  ark,  for  we  carried  with 
us  the  beasts  of  the  field  and  the  birds  of  the  air  and  the 
fishes  from  the  waters,*  to  say  nothing  of  the  trees  from 
the  forest.  The  party  with  whom  we  had  passed  such 
pleasant  days  collected  to  bid  us  farewell,  and  followed 

* Senhor  Lage  had  caused  an  extensive  collection  of  fishes  to  he  gathered 
from  the  waters  of  the  Rio  Novo,  so  that  this  excursion  greatly  extended 
the  range  of  my  survey  of  the  basin  of  the  Parahyba.  — L.  A. 


116 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


us,  as  we  passed  out  from  the  gate,  with  vivas  and 
waving  hats  and  handkerchiefs. 

The  following  day  we  were  fortunate  in  having  cool 
weather  with  a somewhat  cloudy  sky,  so  that  our  ride  of 
ten  hours  from  Juiz  de  Fora  to  Petropolis,  on  the  top  of  the 
stage,  was  delightful.  The  next  morning  in  driving  down 
the  Serra  to  Maua  we  witnessed  a singular  phenomenon, 
common  enough,  I suppose,  to  those  who  live  in  high  re- 
gions. As  we  turned  the  corner  of  the  road  which  first 
brings  us  in  sight  of  the  magnificent  view  below  the  Serra, 
there  was  a general  exclamation  of  surprise  and  admiration. 
The  valley  and  harbor,  quite  out  to  the  sea,  were  changed 
to  a field  of  snow,  white,  soft,  and  fleecy,  as  if  fallen  that 
night.  The  illusion  was  perfect,  and  though  recognized 
at  once  as  simply  an  effect  of  the  heavy  morning  fog, 
we  could  hardly  believe  that  it  would  disperse  at  our 
approach  and  not  prove  to  be  the  thing  it  seemed.  Here 
and  there  the  summit  of  a hill  pierced  through  it  like 
an  island,  making  the  deception  more  complete.  The 

incident  was  especially  interesting  to  us  as  connecting 
itself  with  our  late  discussions  as  to  the  possible  former 
existence  of  glaciers  in  this  region.  In  his  lecture  a 
few  nights  before,  describing  the  greater  extension  of 
the  ice  in  former  geological  ages,  when  the  whole  plain 
of  Switzerland  between  the  Alps  and  Jura  must  have 
been  filled  with  glaciers,  Mr.  Agassiz  had  said  “there  is 
a phenomenon  not  uncommon  in  the  autumn  in  Switzer- 
land which  may  help  us  to  reconstruct  this  wonderful 
picture.  Sometimes  in  a September  morning  the  whole 
plain  of  Switzerland  is  filled  with  vapor  which,  when  its 
pure  white,  undulating  surface  is  seen  from  the  higher 
summits  of  the  Jura,  looks  like  a snowy  ‘mer  de  glace,’ 


FAZENDA  LIFE. 


117 


appearing  to  descend  from  the  peaks  of  the  Alps  and  ex- 
tending toward  the  Jura,  while  from  all  the  tributary 
valleys  similar  masses  pour  down  to  meet  it.”  It  was 
as  if  the  valley  and  harbor  of  Rio  had  meant  to  offer  us 
a similar  picture  of  past  times,  with  the  image  of  which 
our  minds  had  been  filled  for  the  last  few  days  in  conse- 
quence of  the  glacial  phenomena  constantly  presented  to  us 
on  our  journey. 

July  6th.  — To-morrow  was  to  have  been  the  day  of 
our  departure  for  the  Amazons,  but  private  interests  must 
yield  to  public  good,  and  it  seems  that  the  steamer  which 
was  to  have  left  for  Para  to-morrow  has  been  taken  by  the 
government  to  transport  troops  to  the  seat  of  war.  The 
aspect  of  the  war  grows  daily  more  serious,  and  the 
Emperor  goes  himself  the  day  after  to-morrow  to  Rio 
Grande  do  Sul,  .accompanied  by  his  son-in-law,  the  Duke 
of  Saxe,  soon  to  be  followed  by  the  Conte  d’Eu,  who  is 
expected  by  the  French  steamer  of  the  18th  of  this  month. 
Under  these  circumstances,  not  only  are  we  prevented  from 
going  at  the  appointed  date,  but  it  seems  not  improbable 
that  the  exigencies  of  war  may  cause  a still  further  delay, 
should  other  steamers  be  needed.  A very  pleasant  public 
dinner,  intended  to  be  on  the  eve  of  his  departure,  was 
given  to  Mr.  Agassiz  yesterday  by  Messrs.  Fleiuss  and  Linde. 
Germans,  Swiss,  French,  Americans,  and  Brazilians  made 
up  the  company,  a mingling  of  nationalities  which  resulted 
in  a very  general  harmony. 

July  §th.  — For  some  time  Mr.  Agassiz  has  been  trying 
to  get  living  specimens  of  the  insect  so  injurious  to  the 
coffee-tree  ; the  larva  of  a little  moth  akin  to  those  which 
destroy  the  vineyards  in  Europe.  Yesterday  he  succeeded 
in  obtaining  some,  and  among  them  one  .wist  spim  ing 


118 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


his  cocoon  on  the  leaf.  We  watched  him  for  a long  time 
with  the  lens  as  he  wove  his  filmy  tent.  He  had 
arched  the  threads  upwards  in  the  centre,  so  as  to  leave  a 
little  hollow  space  into  which  he  could  withdraw  ; this  tiny 
vault  seemed  to  be  completed  at  the  moment  we  saw  him, 
and  he  was  drawing  threads  forward  and  fastening  them  at 
a short  distance  beyond,  thus  lashing  his  house  to  the  leaf 
as  it  were.  The  exquisite  accuracy  of  the  work  was 
amazing.  He  was  spinning  the  thread  with  his  mouth, 
and  with  every  new  stitch  he  turned  his  body  backward, 
attached  his  thread  to  the  same  spot,  then  drew  it  forward 
and  fastened  it  exactly  on  a line  with  the  last,  with  a 
precision  and  rapidity  that  machinery  could  hardly  imitate., 
It  is  a curious  question  how  far  this  perfection  of  workman- 
ship in  many  of  the  lower  animals  is  simply  identical  with 
their  organization,  and  therefore  to  be  considered  a function, 
as  inevitable  in  its  action  as  digestion  or  respiration,  rather 
than  an  instinct.  In  this  case  the  body  of  the  little  animal 
was  his  measure : it  was  amazing  to  see  him  lay  down  his 
threads  with  such  accuracy,  till  one  remembered  that  he 
could  not  make  them  longer  or  shorter ; for,  starting  from 
the  centre  of  his  house,  and  stretching  his  body  its  full 
length,  they  must  always  reach  the  same  point.  The  same 
is  true  of  the  so-called  mathematics  of  the  bee.  The  bees 
stand  as  close  as  they  can  together  in  their  hive  for 
economy  of  space,  and  each  one  deposits  his  wax  around 
him,  his  own  form  and  size  being  the  mould  for  the 
cells,  the  regularity  of  which  when  completed  excites  so 
much  wonder  and  admiration.  The  mathematical  secret 
of  the  bee  is  to  be  found  in  his  structure,  not  in  his 
instinct.  But  in  the  industrial  work  of  some  of  the 
lower  animals,  the  ant  for  instance,  there  is  a power  of 


FAZENDA  LIFE. 


119 


adaptation  which  is  not  susceptible  of  the  same  explana- 
tion. Their  social  organization,  too  intelligent,  it  seems, 
to  be  the  work  of  any  reasoning  powers  of  their  own,  yet 
does  not  appear  to  be  directly  connected  with  their  struct- 
ure.  While  we  were  watching  our  little  insect,  a breath 
stirred  the  leaf  and  he  instantly  contracted  himself  and 
drew  back  under  his  roof ; but  presently  came  out  again 
and  returned  to  his  work. 

July  14 th.  — I have  passed  two  or  three  days  of  this 
week  very  pleasantly  with  a party  of  friends  who  invited 
me  to  join  them  on  a visit  to  one  of  the  largest  fazendas 
in  this  neighborhood,  belonging  to  the  Commendador  Breves. 
A journey  of  some  four  hours  on  the  Dom  Pedro  Rail- 
road brought  us  to  the  “ Barra  do  Piraliy,”  and  thence  we 
proceeded  on  mule-back,  riding  slowly  along  the  banks  of 
the  Parahyba  through  very  pleasant,  quiet  scenery,  though 
much  less  picturesque  than  that  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  Rio.  At  about  sunset  we  reached  the  fazenda,  standing 
on  a terrace  just  above  the  river,  and  commanding  a lovely 
view  of  water  and  woodland.  We  were  received  with  a 
hospitality  hardly  to  be  equalled,  I think,  out  of  Brazil, 
for  it  asks  neither  who  you  are  nor  whence  you  come, 
but  opens  its  doors  to  every  wayfarer.  On  this  occasion 
we  were  expected  ; but  it  is  nevertheless  true  that  at  such 
a fazenda,  where  the  dining-room  accommodates  a hundred 
persons  if  necessary,  all  travellers  passing  through  the 
country  are  free  to  stop  for  rest  and  refreshment.  At  the 
time  of  our  visit  there  were  several  such  transient  guests ; 
among  others  a couple  quite  unknown  to  our  hosts,  who 
had  stopped  for  the  night,  but  had  been  taken  ill  and  de- 
tained there  several  days.  They  seemed  entirely  at  home. 
On  this  estate  there  are  about  two  thousand  slaves,  thirty 


120 


A JOUENEY  IN  BEAZIL. 


of  whom  are  house-servants  ; it  includes  within  its  own 
borders  all  that  would  be  required  by  such  a population 
in  the  way  of  supplies  : it  has  its  drug-shop  and  its 
hospital ; its  kitchens  for  the  service  of  the  guests  and 
for  that  of  the  numerous  indoor  servants,  its  church,  its 
priest,  and  its  doctor.  Here  the  church  was  made  by 
throwing  open  a small  oratory,  very  handsomely  fitted 
up  with  gold  and  silver  service,  purple  altar-cloth,  &c., 
at  the  end  of  a very  long  room,  which,  though  used  for 
other  purposes,  serves  on  such  an  occasion  to  collect  the 
large  household  together.  The  next  morning  our  hostess 
showed  us  the  different  working-rooms.  One  of  the  most 
interesting  was  that  where  the  children  were  taught  to 
sew.  I have  wondered,  on  our  Southern  plantations,  that 
more  pains  was  not  taken  to  make  clever  seamstresses 
of  the  women.  Here  plain  sewing  is  taught  to  all  the 
little  girls,  and  many  of  them  are  quite  expert  in  em- 
broidery and  lace-making.  Beyond  this  room  was  a store- 
room for  clothing,  looking  not  unlike  one  of  our  sanitary 
rooms,  with  heaps  of  woollen  and  cotton  stuffs  which  the 
black  women  were  cutting  out  and  making  up  for  the  field 
hands.  The  kitchens,  with  the  working  and  lodging  rooms  of 
the  house  negroes,  enclosed  a court  planted  with  trees  and 
shrubs,  around  which  extended  covered  brick  walks  where 
blacks,  young  and  old,  seemed  to  swarm,  from  the  withered 
woman  who  boasted  herself  a hundred,  but  was  still  proud  to 
display  her  fine  lace-work,  and  ran  like  a girl,  to  show  us 
how  sprightly  she  was,  to  the  naked  baby  creeping  at  her 
feet.  The  old  woman  had  received  her  liberty  some  time 
ago,  but  seemed  to  be  very  much  attached  to  the  family 
and  never  to  have  thought  of  leaving  them.  These  are  the 
things  which  make  one  hopeful  about  slavery  in  Brazil ; 


FAZENDA  LIFE. 


121 


emancipation  is  considered  there  a subject  to  be  discussed, 
legislated  upon,  adopted  ultimately,  and  it  seems  no  uncom- 
mon act  to  present  a slave  with  bis  liberty.  In  the  evening, 
while  taking  coffee  on  the  terrace  after  dinner,  we  bad  very 
good  music  from  a brass-band  composed  of  slaves  belonging 
to  the  estate.  The  love  of  the  negroes  for  music  is  always 
remarkable,  and  here  they  take  pains  to  cultivate  it.  Sen- 
hor  Breves  keeps  a teacher  for  them,  and  they  are  really 
very  well  trained.  At  a later  hour  we  had  the  band  in 
the  house  and  a dance  by  the  black  children  which  was 
comical  in  the  extreme.  Like  little  imps  of  darkness  they 
looked,  dancing  with  a rapidity  of  movement  and  gleeful 
enjoyment  with  which  one  could  not  but  sympathize. 
While  the  music  was  going  on,  every  door  and  window 
was  filled  with  a cloud  of  dusky  faces,  now  and  then  a 
fair  one  among  them ; for  here,  as  elsewhere,  slavery 
brings  its  inevitable  and  heaviest  curse,  and  white  slaves 
are  by  no  means  uncommon.  The  next  morning  we  left 
the  fazenda,  not  on  mule-back,  however,  but  in  one  of 
the  flat-bottomed  coffee-boats,  an  agreeable  exchange  for 
the  long,  hot  ride.  We  were  accompanied  to  the  landing 
by  our  kind  hosts,  and  followed  by  quite  a train  of  blacks, 
some  of  them  bringing  the  baggage,  others  coming  only  for 
the  amusement  of  seeing  us  off.  Among  them  was  the 
old  black  woman  who  gave  us  the  heartiest  cheers  of  all, 
as  we  put  off  from  the  shore.  The  sail  down  the  river  was 
very  pleasant ; the  coffee-bags  served  as  cushions,  and,  with 
all  our  umbrellas  raised  to  make  an  awning,  we  contrived 
to  shelter  oursebes  from  the  sun.  Neither  was  the  journey 
without  excitement,  the  river  being  so  broken  by  pocks  in 
many  places  that  there  are  strong  rapids,  requiring  a skilful 
navigation. 


6 


122 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


. July  1 5th.  — A long  botanizing  excursion  to-day  among 
the  Tijuca  hills  with  Mr.  Glaziou,  director  of  the  Passeio 
Publico,  as  guide.  It  has  been  a piece  of  the  good  fortune 
attending  Mr.  Agassiz  thus  far  on  this  expedition  to  find  in 
Mr.  Glaziou  a botanist  whose  practical  familiarity  with 
tropical  plants  is  as  thorough  as  his  theoretical  knowledge. 
He  has  undertaken  to  enrich  our  scientific  stores  with  a 
large  collection  of  such  palms  and  other  trees  as  illustrate 
the  relation  between  the  present  tropical  vegetation  and  the 
ancient  geological  forests.  Such  a collection  will  be  invalu- 
able as  a basis  for  palaeontological  studies  at  the  Museum  of 
Comparative  Zoology  in  Cambridge. 

July  23 d.  — At  last  our  plans  for  the  Amazons  seem 
definitely  settled.  We  sail  the  day  after  to-morrow  by  the 
Cruzeiro  do  Sul.  The  conduct  of  the  government  toward 
the  expedition  is  very  generous  ; free  passages  are  granted 
to  the  whole  party,  and  yesterday  Mr.  Agassiz  received  an 
official  document  enjoining  all  persons  connected  with  the 
administration  to  give  him  every  facility  for  his  scientific 
objects.  We  have  another  piece  of  good  fortune  in  the 
addition  to  our  party  of  Major  Coutinho,  a member  of 
the  government  corps  of  engineers,  who  has  been  engaged 
for  several  years  in  explorations  on  the  Amazonian  rivers. 
Happily  for  us,  he  returned  to  Pio  a few  weeks  ago,  and  a 
chance  meeting  at  the  palace,  where  he  had  gone  to  re- 
port the  results  of  the  journey  just  completed,  and  Mr. 
Agassiz  to  discuss  the  plans  for  that  about  to  begin,  brought 
them  together.  This  young  officer’s  investigations  had  made 
his  name  familiar  to  Mr.  Agassiz,  and  when  the  Emperor 
asked  the  latter  how  he  could  best  assist  him,  he  answered 
that  there  was  nothing  he  so  much  desired  or  which  would 
so  materially  aid  him  as  the  companionship  of  Major  Corn 


FAZENDA  LIFE. 


123 


tinlio.  The  Emperor  cordially  consented,  Major  Coutinho 
signified  his  readiness,  and  the  matter  was  concluded. 
Since  then  there  have  been  frequent  conferences  between 
Mr.  Agassiz  and  his  new  colleague,  intent  study  of  maps 
and  endless  talk  about  the  most  desirable  mode  of  laying 
out  and  dividing  the  work.  He  feels  that  Major  Coutinho’s 
familiarity  with  the  scenes  to  which  we  are  going  will 
lighten  lii's  task  of  half  its  difficulties,  while  his  scientific 
zeal  will  make  him  a most  sympathetic  companion.*  We 
found  to-day  some  large  leaves  of  the  Terminalia  Catappa 
of  the  most  brilliant  colors  ; red  and  gold  as  bright  as  any 
of  our  autumnal  leaves.  This  would  seem  to  confirm  the 
opinion  that  the  turning  of  the  foliage  with  us  is  not  an 
effect  of  frost,  but  simply  the  ripening  of  the  leaf ; since 
here,  where  there  is  no  frost,  the  same  phenomenon  takes 
place  as  in  our  northern  latitudes. 

July  Zkth.  — Our  last  preparations  for  the  journey  are 
completed  ; the  collections  made  since  our  arrival,  amount- 
ing to  upwards  of  fifty  barrels  and  cases,  are  packed,  in 
readiness  for  the  first  opportunity  which  occurs  for  the 
United  States,  and  to-morrow  morning  we  shall  be  on 
our  way  to  the  great  river.  We  went  this  morning  to 
the  Collegio  Dom  Pedro  Segundo  to  bid  farewell  to  our 
excellent  friend  Dr.  Pacheco,  to  whose  kindness  we  owe 
much  of  our  enjoyment  during  our  stay  here.  The  Col- 
lege building  was  once  a “ seminario,”  a charitable  in- 
stitution where  boys  were  taken  to.be  educated  as  priests. 

* Never  were  pleasant  anticipations  more  delightfully  fulfilled.  During 
eleven  months  of  the  most  intimate  companionship  I had  daily  cause  to  be 
grateful  for  the  chance  which  had  thrown  us  together.  I found  in  Major 
Coutinho  an  able  collaborator,  untiring  in  his  activity  and  devotion  to  scien- 
tific aims,  an  admirable  guide,  and  a friend  whose  regard  I trust  I shall  ever 
retain.  — L.  A. 


124 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


The  rules  of  the  establishment  were  strict  ; no  servants 
were  kept,  the  pupils  were  obliged  to  do  their  own  work, 
cooking,  &c.,  and  even  to  go  out  into  the  streets  to  beg 
after  the  fashion  of  the  mendicant  orders.  One  condi- 
tion only  waCs  attached  to  the  entrance  of  the  children, 
namely,  that  they  should  be  of  pure  race  ; no  mulattoes  or 
negroes  were  admitted.  I do  not  know  on  what  ground 
this  institution  was  broken  up  by  the  government  and  the 
building  taken  as  a school-house.  It  has  still  a slightly 
monastic  aspect,  though  it  has  been  greatly  modified ; but 
the  cloisters  running  around  closed  courts  remind  one  of 
its  origin.  The  recitations  were  going  on  at  the  moment 
of  our  visit,  and  as  we  had  seen  nothing  as  yet  of  the 
schools,  Dr.  Pacheco  took  us  through  the  establishment. 
A college  here  does  not  signify  a university  as  with  us, 
but  rather  a high  school,  the  age  of  the  pupils  being 
from  twelve  to  eighteen.  It  is  difficult  to  judge  of 
methods  of  education  in  a foreign  language  with  which 
one  is  not  very  familiar.  But  the  scholars  appeared  bright 
and  interested,  their  answers  came  promptly,  their  dis- 
cipline was  evidently  good.  One  thing  was  very  striking 
to  a stranger  in  seeing  so  many  young  people  collected 
together  ; namely,  the  absence  of  pure  type  and  the  fee- 
ble physique.  I do  not  know  whether  it  is  in  consequence 
of  the  climate,  but  a healthy,  vigorous  child  is  a rare 
sight  in  Rio  de  Janeiro.  The  scholars  were  of  all  colors, 
from  black  through  intermediate  shades  to  white,  and  even 
one  of  the  teachers  having  the  direction  of  a higher  class  in 
Latin  was  a negro.  It  is  an  evidence  of  the  absence  of  any 
prejudice  against  the  blacks,  that,  on  the  occasion  of  a recent 
vacancy  among  the  Latin  professors,  this  man,  having  passed 
the  best  examination,  was  unanimously  chosen  in  preference 


FAZENDA  LIFE. 


125 


to  several  Brazilians,  of  European  descent,  who  presented 
themselves  as  candidates  at  the  same  time.  After  hearing 
several  of  the  classes  we  went  over  the  rest  of  the  building. 
The  order  and  exquisite  neatness  of  the  whole  establish- 
ment, not  forgetting  the  kitchen,  where  the  shining  brasses 
and  bright  tins  might  awaken  the  envy  of  many  a house- 
keeper, bear  testimony  to  the  excellence  -of  the  general 
direction.  Since  the  institution  passed  into  Dr.  Pacheco’s 
hands  he  has  done  a great  deal  to  raise  its  character. 
He  has  improved  the  library,  purchased  instruments  for 
the  laboratory,  and  made  many  judicious  changes  in  the 
general  arrangement. 


126 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAST  TO  PARA. 

On  board  the  “ Cruzeiro  do  Sul.”  — Members  of  the  Party.  — Arrival 
at  Bahia.  — Day  in  the  Country.  — Return  to  the  Steamer.  — Conver- 
sation about  Slavery  in  Brazil.  — Negro  Marriages.  — Maceio.  — Per- 
nambuco. — Parahyba  do  Norte.  — Ramble  on  Shore.  — Ceara.  — Diffi- 
cult Landing.  — Brazilian  Baths.  — Maranham.  — Assai  Palm.  — Visit  to 
Orphan  Asylum.  — Detained  in  Port.  — Variety  of  Medusae.  — Arrival 
of  American  Gunboat.  — More  Medusae.  — Dinner  on  Shore.  — Cordial- 
ity toward  the  Expedition.  — Arrival  at  Para.  — Kind  Reception.  — 
Environs  of  Para.  — Luxuriant  Growth.  — Markets.  — Indian  Boats.  — 
Agreeable  Climate.  — Excursion  in  the  Harbor.  — Curious  Mushroom. 
— Success  in  collecting,  with  the  assistance  of  our  Host  and  other 
Friends.  — Fishes  of  the  Forests.  — Public  Expressions  of  Sympathy 
for  the  Expedition.  — Generosity  of  the  Amazonian  Steamship  Com- 
pany. — Geological  Character  of  the  Shore  from  Rio  to  Para.  — Er- 
ratic Drift.  — Letter  to  the  Emperor. 

July  25th.  — On  board  the  “ Cruzeiro  do  Sul.”  We 
sailed  to-day  at  11  o’clock,  bidding  good  by  with  regret, 
though  not  without  hope  of  return,  to  the  beautiful  bay 
and  mountains  on  which  we  have  been  looking  for  three 
months.  Our  party  consists  of  Major  Coutinho,  Mr.  Burk- 
hardt,  Monsieur  Bourget,  who  accompanies  Mr.  Agassiz 
to  the  Amazons  as  collector  and  preparator,  our  two  young 
friends  Mr.  Hunnewell  and  Mr.  James,  and  ourselves.  At 
Bahia  we  shall  be  joined  by  Mr.  Dexter  and  Mr.  Thayer, 
two  of  our  party  who  have  preceded  us  up  the  coast,  and 
have  been  collecting  in  the  neighborhood  of  Bahia  for  two 
or  three  weeks.  The  aspect  of  the  steamer  is  not  very 
inviting,  for  it  has  been  used  of  late  for  the  transportation 
of  troops  to  the  south,  in  consequence  of  which  it  is  very 
dirty ; it  is  also  overcrowded  on  account  of  the  number  of 
persons  bound  northward,  who  have  been  detained  in  Bio 


VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAST  TO  PARA. 


127 


by  the  interruption  of  the  regular  trips  on  this  line.  Wo 
are  promised  better  accommodations  after  a few  days,  how- 
ever, as  many  of  the  passengers  will  drop  off  at  Bahia  and 
Pernambuco. 

July  2%th.  — Bahia.  Half  the  enjoyment  of  life  borrows 
intensity  from  contrast,  and  to  this  principle  we  certainly 
owe  a part  of  our  pleasure  to-day.  After  three  half  sea 
sick  days  on  a dirty,  crowded  steamer,  the  change  is  de- 
lightful to  a breezy  country  house,  where  we  are  received 
with  that  most  gracious  hospitality  which  relieves  both 
host  and  guests  of  the  sense  of  entertaining  or  being 
entertained.  Here  I have  been  sitting  under  the  deep 
shade  of  a huge  mango-tree,  with  a number  of  the  “ Re- 
vue des  Deux  Mondes  ” on  my  knee,  either  reading  or 
listening  lazily  to  the  rustle  of  the  leaves  or  the  cooing 
of  the  pigeons  as  they  patter  up  and  down  on  the  tiled 
floor  of  the  porch  near  by,  or  watching  the  negroes  as 
they  come  and  go  with  trays  of  vegetables  or  baskets 
of  fruit  and  flowers  on  their  heads,  for  the  service  of 
the  house.  In  the  mean  time,  Mr.  Agassiz  is  engaged  in 
examining  the  collections  made  by  Mr.  Dexter  and  Mr. 
Thayer  during  their  visit  here.  They  have  been  aided 
most  cordially  by  our  friend  Mr.  Antonio  de  Lacerda,  at 
whose  hospitable  house  we  are  staying,  and  where  we 
found  our  travelling  companions  quite  domesticated.  He 
received  them  on  their  arrival,  and  has  given  them  every 
facility  during  their  stay  here  for  the  objects  they  had  in 
view,  his  own  love  of  natural  history,  to  which  he  devotes 
every  spare  hour  from  his  active  business  life,  rendering 
him  an  efficient  ally.  He  has  a large  and  very  valuable 
collection  of  insects,  admirably  arranged  and  in  excellent 
preservation.  They  are  also  greatly  indebted  to  Mr.  Nicolai, 


128 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


the  resident  English  clergyman  here,  who  has  accompanied 
them  on  some  of  their  excursions,  and  put  them  in  the  way 
of  seeing  whatever  was  most  interesting  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. 

On  arriving  in  South  America  one  should  land  first 
in  Bahia,  for  in  its  aspect  it  is  the  most  national  and 
characteristic  of  the  cities.  As  we  passed  directly  through 
the  town  this  morning,  we  can  give  but  little  account  of 
it,  and  yet  we  saw  enough  to  confirm  all  that  lias  been  said 
of  its  quaint  and  picturesque  character.  On  first  disem- 
barking, you  find  yourself  at  the  foot  of  an  almost  per- 
pendicular hill,  and  negro-bearers  appear  at  your  side 
to  carry  you  up  the  steep  ascent,  almost  impassable  for 
carriages,  in  a “ cadeira,”  or  curtained  chair.  This  is 
in  itself  an  odd  experience  for  one  to  whom  it  is  new, 
and  the  rest  of  the  city,  with  its  precipitous  streets,  its 
queer  houses,  its  old  churches,  is  as  quaint  and  antique 
as  these  original  carriages. 

July  29th.  — To-day  we  have  the  “ revers  de  la  medaille” ; 
we  have  returned  to  our  prison,  and  a violent  rain  drives  us 
all  to  take  refuge  in  the  hot,  close  dining-room,  our  only 
resort  when  the  weather  is  bad. 

July  8 9th.  — Off  Maceio.  Last  evening,  when  the  rain 
was  over  and  the  moonlight  tempted  every  one  on  deck, 
we  had  a long  conversation  with  our  pleasant  travelling 
companion,  Mr.  Sinimbu,  senator  from  the  province  of 
Alagbas,  on  the  aspect  of  slavery  in  Brazil.  It  seems  to 
me  that  we  may  have  something  to  learn  here  in  our  own 
perplexities  respecting  the  pQsition  of  the  black  race  among 
us,  for  the  Brazilians  are  trying  gradually  and  by  install- 
ments some  of  the  experiments  which  are  forced  upon 
us  without  previous  preparation.  The  absence  of  all  re- 


VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAST  TO  PARA. 


129 


straint  upon  the  free  blacks,  the  fact  that  they  are  eligible 
to  office,  and  that  all  professional  careers  are  open  to  them, 
without  prejudice  on  the  ground  of  color,  enables  one  to 
form  some  opinion  as  to  their  ability  and  capacity  for 
development.  Mr.  Sinimbu  tells  us  that  here  the  result 
is  on  the  whole  in  their  favor  ; he  says  that  the  free 
blacks  compare  well  in  intelligence  and  activity  with  the 
Brazilians  and  Portuguese.  But  it  must  be  remembered, 
in  making  the  comparison  with  reference  to  our  own  coun- 
try, that  here  they  are  brought  into  contact  with  a less 
energetic  and  powerful  race  than  the  Anglo-Saxon.  Mr. 
Sinimbu  believes  that  emancipation  is  to  be  accomplished 
in  Brazil  by  a gradual  process  which  has  already  begun. 
A large  number  of  slaves  are  freed  every  year  by  the 
wills  of  their  masters  ; a still  larger  number  buy  their 
own  freedom  annually ; and  as  there  is  no  longer  any 
importation  of  blacks,  the  inevitable  result  of  this  must 
be  the  natural  death  of  slavery.  Unhappily,  the  process 
is  a slow  one,  and  in  the  mean  while  slavery  is  doing  its 
evil  work,  debasing  and  enfeebling  alike  whites  and  blacks. 
The  Brazilians  themselves  do  not  deny  this,  and  one  con- 
stantly hears  them  lament  the  necessity  of  sending  their 
children  away  to  be  educated,  on  account  of  the  injurious 
association  with  the  house- servants.  In  fact,  although 

politically  slavery  has  a more  hopeful  aspect  here  :lian 
elsewhere,  the  institution  from  a moral  point  of  view  has 
some  of  its  most  revolting  characters  in  this  country,  and 
looks,  if  possible,  more  odious  than  it  did  in  the  States. 
The  other  day,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Bio,  I had  an 
opportunity  of  seeing  a marriage  between  two  negroes, 
whose  owner  made  the  religious,  or,  as  it  appeared  to 
me  on  this  occasion,  irreligious  ceremony,  obligatory.  The 


130 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


bride,  who  was  as  black  as  jet,  was  dressed  in  white  muslin, 
with  a yeil  of  coarse  white  lace,  such  as  the  negro  women 
make  themshlves,  and  the  husband  was  in  a white  linen 
suit.  She  looked,  and  I think  she  really  felt,  diffident, 
for  there  were  a good  many  strangers  present,  and  her 
position  was  embarrassing.  The  Portuguese  priest,  a bold, 
insolent-looking  man,  called  them  up  and  rattled  over 
the  marriage  service  with  most  irreverent  speed,  stopping 
now  and  then  to  scold  them  both,  but  especially  the  woman, 
because  she  did  not  speak  loud  enough  and  did  not  take  the 
whole  thing  in  the  same  coarse,  rough  way  that  he  did. 
When  he  ordered  them  to  come  up  and  kneel  at  the 
altar,  his  tone  was  more  suggestive  of  cursing  than  pray- 
ing, and  having  uttered  his  blessing  he  hurled  an  amen 
at  them,  slammed  the  prayer-book  down  on  the  altar, 
whiffed  out  the  candles,  and  turned  the  bride  and  bride- 
groom out  of  the  chapel  with  as  little  ceremony  as  one 
would  have  kicked  out  a dog.  As  the  bride  came  out, 
half  crying,  half  smiling,  her  mother  met  her  and  show- 
ered her  with  rose-leaves,  and  so  this  act  of  consecration, 
in  which  the  mother’s  benediction  seemed  the  only  grace, 
was  over.  I thought  what  a strange  confusion  there  must 
be  in  these  poor  creature’s  minds,  if  they  thought  about 
it  at  all.  They  are  told  that  the  relation  between  man 
and  wife  is  a sin,  unless  confirmed  by  the  sacred  rite  of 
marriage  ; they  come  to  hear  a bad  man  gabble  over  them 
words  which  they  cannot  understand,  mingled  with  taunts 
and  abuse  which  they  understand  only  too  well,  and  side 
by  side  with  their  own  children  grow  up  the  little  fair- 
skinned slaves  to  tell  them  practically  that  the  white  man 
does  not  keep  himself  the  lav/  he  imposes  on  them.  What 
a monstrous  lie  the  whole  system  must  seem  to  them  if  they 


VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAST  TO  PARa. 


131 


are  ever  led  to  think  about  it  at  all.  I am  far  from  sup- 
posing that  the  instance  I have  given  should  be  taken  as 
representing  the  state  of  religious  instruction  on  planta- 
tions generally.  No  doubt  there  are  good  priests  who 
improve  and  instruct  their  black  parishioners  ; but  it  does 
not  follow  because  religious  services  are  provided  on  a 
plantation,  the  ceremony  of  marriage  observed,  &c.,  that 
there  is  anything  which  deserves  the  name  of  religious 
instruction.  It  would  be  unjust  not  to  add  the  better 
side  of  the  question  in  this  particular  instance.  The  man 
was  free,  and  I was  told  that  the  woman  received  her 
liberty  and  a piece  of  land  from  her  master  as  her 
marriage  dower. 

We  arrived  at  Macei6  this  morning,  and  went  on  shore 
with  Mr.  Sinimbu,  who  leaves  us  here,  and  with  whose 
family  we  passed  a delightful  day,  welcomed  with  that 
hearty  cordiality  so  characteristic  of  Brazilians  in  their 
own  homes.  Although  our  stay  was  so  short,  a consid- 
erable addition  was  made  here  to  the  collections.  On 
arriving  at  any  port  the  party  disperses  at  once,  the 
young  men  going  in  different  directions  to  collect,  Mr. 
Bourget  hurrying  to  the  fish-market  to  see  what  may 
be  found  there  of  interest,  and  Mr.  Agassiz  and  Mr. 
Coutinho  generally  making  a geological  excursion.  In 
this  way,  though  the  steamer  remains  but  a few  hours 
at  each  station,  the  time  is  not  lost. 

July  31s£.  — Pernambuco.  Arrived  to-day  off  Pernam- 

buco, and  were  too  happy,  after  a stormy  night,  to  find 
ourselves  behind  the  famous  reef  which  makes  such  a 
quiet  harbor  at  this  port.  Our  countryman,  Mr.  Hitch, 
met  us  on  landing,  and  drove  us  at  once  out  to  his 
“chacara,”  (country  place,)  where  it  was  delightful  to 


182 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


be  welcomed,  like  old  friends,  to  an  American  home.* 
Pernambuco  is  by  no  means  so  picturesque  as  Bahia  or 
Rio  de  Janeiro.  It  has  a more  modern  air  than  either 
of  these,  but  looks  also  more  cleanly  and  more  prosper- 
ous. Many  of  the  streets  are  wide,  and  the  river  running 
through  the  business  part  of  the  city,  crossed  by  broad, 
handsome  bridges,  is  itself  suggestive  of  freshness.  The 
country  is  more  open  and  flat  than  farther  south.  In 
our  afternoon  drive  some  of  the  views  across  wide,  level 
meadows,  if  we  could  have  put  elms  here  and  there  in 
the  place  of  palms,  would  have  reminded  us  of  scenery  at 
home. 

August  2d.  — Yesterday  we  left  Pernambuco,  and  this 
morning  found  ourselves  at  the  mouth  of  the  Parahyba 
do  Norte,  a broad,  beautiful  river,  up  which  we  steamed 
to  within  a few  miles  of  the  little  town  bearing  the  same 
name.  Here  we  took  a boat  and  rowed  to  the  city,  where 
we  spent  some  hours  in  rambling  about,  collecting  speci- 
mens, examining  drift  formations,  &c.  In  the  course  of 
our  excursion  we  fell  in  with  some  friends  of  Major  Cou- 
tinho’s,  who  took  us  home  with  them  to  an  excellent 
breakfast  of  fresh. fish,  with  bread,  coffee,  and  wine.  The 
bread  is  to  be  noticed  here,  for  it  is  said  to  be  the  best 
in  Brazil.  The  flour  is  the  same  as  elsewhere,  and  the 
people  generally  attribute  the  superiority  of  their  bread  to 
some  quality  of  the  water.  Whatever  be  the  cause,  there 
is  no  bread  in  all  Brazil  so  sweet,  so  light,  and  so  white  as 
that  of  Parahyba  do  Norte. 

August  5th.  — We  arrived  yesterday  at  Ceara,  where  we 
were  warmly  welcomed  and  most  hospitably  entertained 

* Mr.  Agassiz  was  indebted  to  Mr.  Hitch  for  valuable  additions  to  his 
collections,  and  for  many  acts  of  kindness  in  behalf  of  the  expedition. 


VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAST  TO  PARA. 


183 


at  the  house  of  Dr.  Mendes,  an  old  acquaintance  ol  Major 
Coutinho.  It  was  blowing  hard  and  raining  when  we  left 
the  steamer;  our  boat  put  into  the  beach  in  a heavy  surf, 
and  I was  wondering  how  I should  reach  the  shore,  when 
two  of  our  negro  rowers  jumped  into  the  water,  and,  stand- 
ing at  the  side  of  the  boat  behind  me,  motioned  me  to 
come,  crossing  their  arms  basket-fashion,  as  we  do  some- 
times to  carry  children.  They  looked  as  if  it  were  the  or- 
dinary mode  of  conveyance,  so  I seated  myself,  and  with 
one  arm  around  the  neck  of  each  of  my  black  bearers, 
they  laughing  as  heartily  as  I did,  I was  landed  trium- 
phantly on  the  sands.  After  the  first  greetings  at  the  house 
of  Dr.  Mendes  were  over,  we  were  offered  the  luxury  of 
a bath  before  breakfast.  The  bath  is  a very  important 
feature  in  a Brazilian  household.  This  one  was  of  the  size 
of  a small  room,  the  water  (about  two  feet  deep  and  of  a 
delicious,  soft,  velvety  character)  constantly  flowing  through 
over  the  smooth  sand  floor.  They  are  often  larger  than 
this,  from  four  to  five  feet  deep,  and  sometimes  lined 
with  blue  and  white  tiles,  which  make  a very  clean  and 
pretty  floor.  It  is  a great  luxury  in  this  warm  climate, 
and  many  persons  bathe  several  times  a day.  The  bath- 
house is  usually  in  the  garden,  at  a convenient  distance 
from  the  house,  but  not  immediately  adjoining  it.  The 
bath  was  followed  by  an  excellent  breakfast,  after  which 
we  drove  through  the  city.  CearA  is  a wonderfully  pro- 
gressive town  for  Brazil.  Five  years  ago  it  had  not  a 
paved  street  ; now  all  the  streets  are  well  paved,  with 
good  sidewalks,  and  the  city  is  very  carefully  laid  out, 
with  a view  to  its  future  growrth.*  To-day  we  are  again 

* Here,  as  elsewhere,  I found  ready  and  willing  coadjutors  among  ama- 
teur collectors.  On  my  return  from  the  Amazons,  many  mor  ths  later,  I found 


134 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 

f 

coasting  along  within  sight  of  land,  with  a quiet  sea  and 
a delicious  breeze.  The  ocean  is  covered  with  white  caps, 
and  of  a very  peculiar  greenish,  aquamarine  tint,  the  same 
which  I observed  as  soon  as  we  reached  these  latitudes  in 
coming  out.  This  singular  color  is  said  to  be  owing  to 
the  nature  of  the  sea  bottom  and  the  shallowness  of  the 
water,  combined,  farther  north,  with  the  admixture  of  fresh 
water  along  the  coast. 

August  6th. — Arrived  early  this  morning  before  Maran- 
ham,  and  went  on  shore  to  breakfast  at  the  hotel ; for,  won- 
derful to  relate,  Maranliam  possesses  a hotel,  a great  rarity  in 
many  Brazilian  towns.  We  passed  the  greater  part  of  the  day 
in  driving  about  the  city  with  Dr.  Braga,  who  kindly  under- 
took to  show  us  everything  of  interest.*  The  town  and 
harbor  are  very  pretty,  the  city  itself  standing  on  an  island, 
formed  by  two  bays  running  up  on  either  side  and  enclosing 
it.  The  surrounding  country  is  flat  and  very  thickly  wood- 
ed, though  the  woods  are  rather  low.  Here,  at  the  house  of 
Dr.  Braga’s  brother-in-law,  we  saw,  for  the  first  time,'  the 
slender,  graceful  Assai  palm,  from  which  the  drink  is  made 
so  much  appreciated  in  Para  and  on  the  Lower  Amazons. 
It  is  curious  to  see  the  negroes  go  up  the  tree  to  gather 

collections  made  in  my  absence  by  Dr.  Mendes  and  Senhor  Barroso,  who 
had  been  our  companions  on  board  the  steamer.  At  Parahyba  do  Norte  I 
was  indebted  in  the  same  way  to  Dr.  Justa.  These  collections  will  afford  in- 
valuable materials  for  the  comparison  of  the  Coast  Faunas. — L.  A. 

* At  a later  period  I owed  to  Dr.  Braga  far  more  than  the  ordinary  courtesy 
extended  to  a stranger.  I had  informed  him  that  Mr.  St.  John,  then  following 
the  course  of  the  Rio  San  Francisco,  on  his  way  to  the  province  of  Piauhy, 
would  arrive  in  Maranham  at  the  close  of  his  journey.  When  he  reached  that 
city  he  was  very  seriously  ill  with  fever.  Dr  Braga  took  him  into  his  hou=e. 
where  he  was  attended  by  him  and  his  family  as  if  he  had  been  one  of  their  kin- 
dred. I have,  indeed,  little  doubt  that  my  young  friend  owed  his  recovery  to 
the  considerate  care  with  which  he  was  treated  under  their  kindly  roof.  — L.  A. 


135 


VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAST  TO  PARA. 

I 

the  fruit.  The  trunk  is  perfectly  smooth,  the  fruit  growing 
in  a heavy  cluster  of  berries,  just  below  the  crown  of  leaves 
on  its  summit.  The  negro  fastens  a cord  or  a strip  of  palm- 
leaf  around  his  insteps,  thus  binding  his  feet  together  that 
they  may  not  slide  apart  on  the  smooth  stem,  and  by  means 
of  this  kind  of  stirrup  he  contrives  to  cling  to  the  slippery 
trunk  and  scramble  up. 

We  were  much  interested  in  seeing  here  an  admirably 
well  conducted  institution  for  the  education  of  poor  or- 
phans. Its  chief  aim  is  to  educate  them,  not  as  scholars, 
though  they  receive  elementary  instruction  in  reading, 
writing,  and  ciphering,  but  to  teach  them  a variety  of 
occupations  by  which  they  can  earn  an  honest  livelihood. 
They  are  trained  in  several  trades,  are  taught  to  play  on 
a number  of  instruments,  and  there  is  also  a school  of 
design  connected  with  the  establishment.  A faultless  or- 
der and  scrupulous  neatness  prevailed  through  the  whole 
building,  which  was  not  the  result  of  an  exceptional  prep- 
aration, since  our  visit  was  wholly  unexpected.  This  sur- 
prised us  the  more,  because,  notwithstanding  their  fond- 
ness for  bathing,  order  and  neatness  in  their  houses  are 
not  a virtue  among  the  Brazilians.  This  may  be  owing  to 
slave  labor,  — rarely  anything  better  than  eye-service.  The 
large  dormitories  looked  fresh  and  airy,  with  the  hammocks 
rolled  up  and  laid  on  a shelf,  each  one  above  the  peg  to 
which  it  belonged  ; the  shoes  were  hung  on  nails  along 
the  walls,  and  the  little  trunks,  holding  the  clothing  of 
each  scholar,  were  neatly  arranged  beneath  them.  On  the 
upper  story  was  the  hospital,  a large,  well-ventilated  room, 
with  numerous  windows  commanding  beautiful  views,  and 
a cool  breeze  blowing  through  it.  Here  were  cots  instead 
of  hammocks,  but  I thought  the  sick  boys  might  prefer 


136 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


the  swinging,  cradle-like  beds  to  which  they  were  accus- 
tomed, and  which  they  evidently  find  very  comfortable. 
When  Mr.  Agassiz  remarked,  as  we  passed  through  the 
dormitory,  that  sleeping  in  a hammock  was  an  experience 
he  had  yet  to  make,  one  of  the  boys  took  his  down  from 
the  shelf,  and,  hanging  it  up,  laughingly  threw  himself 
into  it,  with  a lazy  ease  which  looked  quite  enviable.  The 
kitchen  and  grocery  rooms  were  as  neat  as  the  rest  of  the 
house,  and  the  simplicity  of  the  whole  establishment,  while 
it  admitted  everything  necessary  for  comfort  and  health, 
was  well  adapted  for  its  objects.  A pretty  little  chapel 
adjoined  the  house,  and  the  house  itself  was  built  around 
an  open  square  planted  with  trees,  — a pleasant  playground 
for  the  boys,  who  have  their  music  there  in  the  evening. 
On  our  return  to  town  we  heard  that,  owing  to  the  break- 
age of  some  part  of  the  machinery,  the  steamer  would  be 
detained  in  this  port  for  a couple  of  days.  We  have,  how- 
ever, returned  to  our  quarters  on  board,  preferring  to  spend 
the  night  on  the  water  rather  than  in  the  hot,  close  town. 

August  7th.  — To-day  we  have  all  been  interested  in 
watching  the  beautiful  Medusae  swept  along  by  the  tide,  so 
close  to  the  side  of  the  steamer  that  they  could  easily  be 
reached  from  the  stairway.  We  have  now  quite  a number 
disposed  about  the  deck  in  buckets  and  basins,  and  Mr. 
Burkhardt  is  making  colored  sketches  of  them.  They  are 
very  beautiful,  and  quite  new  to  Mr.  Agassiz.  In  some 
the  disk  has  a brown  tracery  like  seaweed  over  it,  while 
its  edge  is  deeply  lobed,  every  lobe  being  tinged  with  an 
intensely  brilliant  dark  blue  ; the  lobes  are  divided  into 
eight  sets  of  four  each,  making  thirty- two  in  all,  and  an 
eye  is  placed  on  the  margin  between  each  set ; the  tubes 
running  to  the  eyes  are  much  larger  than  those  in  the  in- 


VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAST  TO  PARA. 


137 


tervals  between,  and  the  network  of  vessels  on  the  margin  is 
wonderfully  fine  and  delicate ; the  curtains  hanging  from  the 
mouth  are  white  and  closely  fringed  with  full  flounces,  some- 
what like  our  Aurelia.  The  movement  is  quick,  the  margin 
of  the  disk  beating  with  short,  rapid  pants.  Another  is  alto- 
gether brown  and  white,  the  seaweed-like  pattern  being  car- 
ried down  to  the  edge  of  the  lobes,  and  the  lobes  them- 
selves being  more  delicate  than  those  of  the  blue-edged  one, 
the  disk  thinning  out  greatly  towards  the  periphery.  The 
brown  marks  are,  however,  darker,  more  distinct,  and 
cover  a larger  space  in  some  specimens  than  in  others. 
This  is  also  true  of  those  with  the  blue  margin,  the 
brown  pattern  covering  the  whole  disk  in  some,  confined 
to  a simple  zone  around  the  disk  in  others,  and  even 
entirely  absent  occasionally.  Mr.  Agassiz  inclines  to  think, 
from  the  similarity  of  their  other  features,  however,  that, 
notwithstanding  their  difference  of  color,  they  all  belong  to 
the  same  species,  the  variety  in  coloration  being  probably 
connected  with  difference  of  sex.  He  has,  at  any  rate, 
ascertained  that  all  the  wholly  brown  specimens  caught 
to-day  are  males. 

We  were  rejoiced  this  morning  by  the  sight  of  our  own 
flag  coming  into  harbor.  We  presently  found  that  the 
ship  was  the  gunboat  Nipsic.  She  had  sailed  from  Boston 
on  the  4th  of  July,  and  brought  papers  of  a later  date  than 
any  we  have  seen.  The  officers  were  kind  enough  to  send 
us  a large  bundle  of  papers,  which  we  have  been  eagerly 
devouring. 

August  8th.  — Another  quite  new  and  beautiful  Medusa 
to-day.  As  we  were  waiting  for  breakfast  this  morning  a 
number  floated  past,  so  dark  in  color  that  in  the  water 
they  appeared  almost  black.  Two  of  our  party  took  a boat 


138 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


and  went  in  search  of  them,  but  the  tide  was  so  swift 
that  they  swept  past  like  lightning,  and  one  had  hardly 
time  to  point  them  out  before  they  were  gone  again. 
However,  after  many  efforts,  we  succeeded  in  getting 
one,  whose  portrait  Mr.  Burkhardt  is  now  taking.  The 
disk  is  of  a chocolate-brown,  shading  into  a darker,  more 
velvety  hue  toward  the  edge,  which  is  slightly  scalloped, 
but  not  cut  up  into  deep  lobes  like  those  of  yesterday. 
The  eyes,  eight  in  number,  are  distinctly  visible  as  lighter- 
colored  specks  on  the  margin.  The  appendages  hanging 
from  the  mouth  are  more  solid  and  not  so  thickly  fringed 
as  in  those  of  yesterday.  It  moves  rather  slowly  in  its 
glass  prison,  the  broad  margin  shading  from  lighter  brown 
to  a soft  chocolate  color  almost  verging  on  black,  as  it  flaps 
up  and  down  somewhat  languidly,  but  still  with  a regular, 
steady  pulsation.* 

August  9th.  — We  passed  yesterday  afternoon  with  the 
Braga  family  in  town.  The  weather  was  charming,  a 
cool  breeze  blowing  through  the  veranda  where  we  dined. 
There  were  a number  of  guests  to  meet  us,  and  we  had 
again  cause  to  acknowledge  how  completely  the  stranger 
is  made  to  feel  himself  at  home  among  these  hospitable 
people.  We  sailed  this  morning,  Mr.  Agassiz  taking  with 
him  a valuable  collection,  though  our  time  was  so  short. 
The  fact  is,  that,  not  only  here,  but  at  every  town  where 
we  have  stopped  in  coming  up  the  coast,  the  ready,  cordial 
desire  of  the  people  to  help  in  the  work  has  enabled  him 
to  get  together  collections  which  it  would  otherwise  have 
been  impossible  to  make  in  so  short  a time.  If  he  is 

* These  two  Medusas  belong  to  the  Rhizostomidas,  and  I shall  take  an  earlj 
opportunity  to  publish  a description  of  them,  with  the  drawings  of  Mr.  Burk 
hardt.  — L.  A. 


VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAST  TO  PARA. 


139 


unexpectedly  successful  in  this  expedition,  it  is  as  much 
owing  to  the  active  sympathy  of  the  Brazilians  themselves, 
and  to  their  interest  in  the  objects  he  has  so  much  at  heart, 
as  to  the  efforts  of  himself  and  his  companions. 

August  11th.  — ParA  Early  yesterday  morning,  a lew 
yellowish  patches  staining  the  ocean  here  and  there  gave  us 
our  first  glimpse  of  the  water  of  the  Amazons.  Presently 
the  patches  became  broad  streaks,  the  fresh  waters  encroach- 
ing gradually  upon  the  sea,  until,  at  about  ten  o’clock,  we 
fairly  entered  the  mouth  of  the  river,  though*  as  the  shores 
are  some  hundred  and  fifty  miles  apart,  we  might  have 
believed  ourselves  on  the  broad  ocean.  As  we  neared  the 
city,  the  numerous  islands  closing  up  about  Pard  and 
sheltering  its  harbor  limited  the  view  and  broke  the  enor- 
mous expanse  of  the  fresh-water  basin.  We  anchored 
off  the  city  at  about  three  o’clock,  but  a heavy  thunder- 
shower, with  violent  rain,  prevented  us  from  going  on 
shore  till  the  next  morning.  None  of  the  party  landed 
except  Major  Coutinho.  He  went  to  announce  our  arrival 
to  his  friend,  Mr.  Pimenta  Bueno,  who  has  kindly  invited 
us  to  make  his  house  our  home  while  we  stay  in  ParA 
The  next  morning  was  beautiful  after  the  rain,  and  at  seven 
o’clock  two  boats  were  sent  to  take  us  and  our  effects  on 
shore.  On  landing  we  went  at  once  to  Mr.  Pimenta’s 
large  business  establishment  near  the  wharves.  Here  he 
has  provided  several  excellent  working-rooms  to  serve  as 
laboratories  and  storage-places  for  the  specimens,  and  be- 
sides these  a number  of  airy,  cool  chambers  on  the  floor 
above,  for  the  accommodation  of  our  companions,  who 
have  already  slung  their  hammocks,  arranged  their  ef- 
fects, and  are  keeping  a kind  of  bachelor’s  hall.  Haying 
disposed  of  the  scientific  apparatus,  we  drove  out  to  Mr 


140 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Pimenta’s  “ chacara,”  some  two  miles  out  of  town,  on 
the  Rua  de  Nazareth,  where  we  were  received  with  the 
utmost  kindness.  Mr.  Agassiz  and  Major  Coutinho  soon 
returned  to  town,  where  no  time  is  to  be  lost  in  begin- 
ning work  at  the  laboratory.  I remained  at  home  and 
passed  a pleasant  morning  with  the  ladies  of  the  family, 
who  made  me  acquainted  with  the  peculiar  beverage  so 
famous  in  these  regions,  prepared  from  the  berries  of 
the  Assai  palm.  They  are  about  the  size  of  cranberries, 
and  of  a dark-brown  color.  Being  boiled  and  crushed 
they  yield  a quantity  of  juice,  which  when  strained  has 
about  the  consistency  of  chocolate,  and  is  of  a dark  purplish 
tint  like  blackberry  juice.  It  has  a sweetish  taste,  and  is 
very  nice  eaten  with  sugar  and  the  crisp  “ farinha  d’agua,” 
a kind  of  coarse  flour  made  from  the  mandioca  root. 
People  of  all  classes  throughout  the  province  of  Par& 
are  exceedingly  fond  of  this  beverage,  and  in  the  city 
they  have  a proverb  which  runs  thus  : - — 

“ Who  visits  Pard  is  glad  to  stay, 

Who  drinks  Assai  goes  never  away.’ 

August  ¥Lth.  — This  morning  we  rose  early  and  walked 
into  town.  Great  pains  have  been  taken  with  the  environs 
of  Par4,  and  the  Rua  de  Nazareth  is  one  of  the  broad 
streets  leading  into  the  country,  and  planted  with  large 
trees  (chiefly  mangueiras)  for  two  or  three  miles  out  of 
town.  On  our  way  we  saw  a lofty  palm-tree  completely 
overpowered  and  stifled  in  the  embrace  of  an  enormous 
parasite.  So  luxuriant  is  the  growth  of  the  latter  that 
you  do  not  perceive,  till  it  is  pointed  out  to  you,  that  its 
spreading  branches  and  thick  foliage  completely  hide  the 
tree  from  which  it  derives  its  life  ; only  from  the  extreme 
summit  a few  fan-like  palm-leaves  shoot  upwards  as  if 


VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAS^  TO  PARX.  141 

trying  to  escape  into  the  air  and  light.  The  palm  cannot 
long  survive,  however,  and  with  its  death  it  seals  the  doom 
of  its  murderer  also.  There  is  another  evidence,  and  a 
more  pleasing  one,  of  the  luxuriance  of  nature  on  this 
same  road.  The  skeleton  of  a house  stands  by  the  way- 
side  ; whether  a ruin  or  unfinished,  I am  unable  to  say, 
but  at  all  events  only  the  walls  are  standing,  with  the 
openings  for  doors  and  windows.  Nature  has  completed 
this  imperfect  dwelling  ; — she  has  covered  it  over  with 
a green  roof,  she  has  planted  the  empty  enclosure  with 
a garden  of  her  own  choosing,  she  has  trained  vines  around 
the  open  doors  and  windows ; and  the  deserted  house,  if  it 
has  no  other  inmates,  is  at  least  a home  for  the  birds. 
It  makes  a very  pretty  picture.  I never  pass  it  without 
wishing  for  a sketch  of  it.  On  our  arrival  in  town  we 
went  at  once  to  the  market.  It  is  very  near  the  water, 
and  we  were  much  amused  in  watching  the  Indian  canoes 
at  the  landing.  The  “ montaria,”  as  the  Indian  calls  his 
canoe,  is  a long,  narrow  boat,  covered  at  one  end  with 
a thatched  roof,  under  which  is  the  living-room  of  the 
family.  Here  the  Indian  has  his  home  ; wife  and  children, 
hammock,  cooking  utensils,  — all  his  household  goods,  in 
fact.  In  some  of  the  boats  the  women  were  preparing  break- 
fast, cooking  the  coffee  or  the  tapioca  over  a pan  of  coals. 
In  others  they  were  selling  the  coarse  pottery,  which  they 
make  into  all  kinds  of  utensils,  sometimes  of  quite  grace- 
ful, pretty  forms.  We  afterwards  went  through  the  mar- 
ket. It  is  quite  large  and  neatly  kept ; but  the  Brazilian 
markets  are  only  good  as  compared  with  each  other. 
The  meats  are  generally  poor ; there  is  little  game  to  be 
seen ; they  have  no  variety  of  vegetables,  which  might  be 
so  easily  cultivated  here,  and  even  the  display  of  fruit 


142 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


in  the  market  is  by  no  means  what  one  would  expect  it 
to  be.  To-night  Mr.  Agassiz  goes  off  with  a party  of 
gentlemen  on  an  excursion  to  some  of  the  islands  in  the 
harbor.  This  first  expedition  in  the  neighborhood  of  Pard, 
from  which  the  Professor  promises  himself  much  pleasure, 
is  planned  by  Dr.  Couto  de  Magalliaes,  President  of  the 
Province.* 

August  14^.-— We  are  very  agreeably  surprised  in  the 
climate  here.  I had  expected  from  the  moment  of  our 
arrival  in  the  region  of  the  Amazons  to  be  gasping  in  a 
fierce,  unintermitting,  intolerable  heat.  On  the  con- 
trary, the  mornings  are  fresh  ; a walk  or  ride  between 
six  and  eight  o’clock  is  always  delightful  ; and  though 
during  the  middle  of  the  day  the  heat  is  certainly  very 
great,  it  cools  off  again  towards  four  o’clock  ; the  even- 
ings are  delightful,  and  the  nights  always  comfortable. 
Even  in  the  hottest  part  of  the  day  the  heat  is  not  dead  ; 
there  is  always  a breeze  stirring.  Mr.  Agassiz  returned 
this  afternoon  from  his  excursion  in  the  harbor,  more 
deeply  impressed  than  ever  with  the  grandeur  of  this 
entrance  to  the  Amazons  and  the  beauty  of  its  many 
islands,  “ An  archipelago  of  islands,”  as  he  says,  “ in  an 
ocean  of  fresh  water.”  He  describes  the  mode  of  fishing 
of  the  Indians  as  curious.  They  row  very  softly  up  the 

* To  Dr.  Couto  de  Magalhaes  Mr.  Agassiz  was  indebted  for  unremitting 
attentions  during  our  stay  in  the  region  of  the  Amazons.  He  never  failed  to 
facilitate  the  success  of  the  expedition  by  every  means  in  his  power,  and  the 
large  collections  made  under  his  directions  during  our  sojourn  upon  the 
Upper  Amazons  were  among  the  most  valuable  contributions  to  its  scientific 
results.  When  he  heard  that  Mr.  Ward,  one  of  our  young  companions,  was 
coming  down  the  Tocantins,  he  sent  a boat  and  boatmen  to  meet  him,  and 
on  his  arrival  in  Para  received  him  in  his  own  house,  where  he  remained  his 
guest  during  his  stay  in  the  city. 


VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAST  TO  PARA'. 


143 


creek,  having  first  fastened  the  seine  across  from  shore 
to  shore  at  a lower  point,  and  when  they  have  gained 
a certain  distance  above  it,  they  spring  into  the  water 
with  a great  plash  and  rush  down  the  creek  in  a line, 
driving  the  fish  before  them  into  the  net.  One  draught 
alone  filled  the  boat  half  full  of  fish.  Mr.  Agassiz  was 
especially  interested  in  seeing  alive  for  the  first  time  the 
curious  fish  called  “ Tralhote”  by  the  Indians,  and  known 
to  naturalists  as  the  Anableps  tetrophthalmus.  This  name, 
signifying  “ four-eyed,”  is  derived  from  the  singular  struc- 
ture of  the  eye.  A membranous  fold  enclosing  the  bulb  of 
the  eye  stretches  across  the  pupil,  dividing  the  visual 
apparatus  into  an  upper  and  lower  half.  No  doubt  this 
formation  is  intended  to  suit  the  peculiar  habits  of  the 
Anableps.  These  fishes  gather  in  shoals  on  the  surface 
of  the  water,  their  heads  resting  partly  above,  partly  below 
the  surface,  and  they  move  by  a leaping  motion  somewhat 
like  that  of  frogs  on  land.  Thus,  half  in  air,  half  in  water, 
they  require  eyes  adapted  for  seeing  in  both  elements,  and 
the  arrangement  described  above  just  meets  this  want. 

August  19 th.  — To-night  at  ten  o’clock  we  go  on  board 
the  steamer,  .and  before  dawn  shall  be  on  our  way  up 
the  river.  This  has  been  a delicious  week  of  rest  and 
refreshment  to  me.  The  quiet  country  life,  with  morning 
walks  in  the  fresh,  fragrant  lanes  and  roads  immediately 
about  us,  has  been  very  soothing  after  four  months  of 
travel  or  of  noisy  hotel  life.  The  other  day  as  we  were 
going  into  town  we  found  in  the  wet  grass  by  the  road- 
side one  of  the  most  beautiful  mushrooms  I have  ever 
seen.  The  stem  was  pure  white,  three  or  four  inches  in 
height,  and  about  half  an  inch  in  diameter,  surmounted  by 
a club-shaped  head,  brown  in  color,  with  a blunt  point. 


144 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


and  from  the  base  of  this  head  was  suspended  an  open 
white  net  of  exquisitely  delicate  texture,  falling  to  within 
about  an  inch  of  the  ground  ; a fairy  web  that  looked  fit 
for  Queen  Mab  herself.*  The  week,  so  peaceful  for  me,  has 
been  one,  if  not  of  rest,  at  least  of  intense  interest  for  Mr. 
Agassiz.  The  very  day  of  his  arrival,  by  the  kindness 
of  our  host,  his  working-rooms  were  so  arranged  as  to 
make  an  admirable  laboratory,  and,  from  the  hour  he 
entered  them,  specimens  have  poured  in  upon  him  from 
all  quarters.  His  own  party  make  but  a small  part  of 
the  scientific  corps  who  have  worked  for  and  with  him 
here.  In  Para  alone  he  has  already  more  than  fifty  new 
species  of  fresh-water  fishes  ; enough  to  reveal  unexpected 
and  novel  relations  in  the  finny  world,  and  to  give  the  basis 
of  an  improved  classification.  He  is  far  from  attributing 
this  great  success  wholly  to  his  own  efforts.  Ready  as  he 
is  to  work,  he  could  not  accomplish  half  that  he  does,  except 
for  the  active  good-will  of  those  about  him.  Among  the 
most  valuable  of  these  contributions  is  a collection  made 
by  Mr.  Pimenta  Bueno,  of  the  so-called  fishes  of  the  forest. 
When  the  waters  overflow  after  the  rainy  season  and  fill 
the  forest  for  a considerable  distance  on  either  side,  these 
fish  hover  over  the  depressions  and  hollows,  and  as  the 
waters  subside  are  left  in  the  pools  and  channels.  They 
do  not  occur  in  the  open  river,  but  are  always  found  in 

* This  mushroom  belongs  to  the  genus  Phallus,  and  seems  to  be  an  unde- 
scribed species.  I preserved  it  in  alcohol,  but  was  unable  to  have  any  draw- 
ing made  from  it  before  its  beauty  and  freshness  were  quite  gone.  In  the  early 
morning,  while  the  grass  was  still  damp,  we  often  found  a peculiar  snail,  a spe- 
cies of  Bulimus,  creeping  by  the  roadside.  The  form  of  the  anterior  part  of 
the  foot  was  unlike  that  of  any  species  known  thus  far  from  this  group.  Such 
facts  show  the  desirableness  of  making  drawings  from  the  soft  parts  of  these 
animals  as  well  as  from  their  solid  envelopes.  — L.  A. 


VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAST  TO  PARA. 


145 


these  forest  retreats,  and  go  by  the  name  of  the  “ Peixe  do 
Mato.” 

Mr.  Agassiz  has  not  only  to  acknowledge  the  untiring 
kindness  of  individuals  here,  hut  also  the  cordial  expression 
of  sympathy  from  public  bodies  in  the  objects  of  the  expe- 
dition. A committee  from  the  municipality  of  the  city  has 
waited  upon  him  to  express  the  general  satisfaction  in  the 
undertaking,  and  he  has  received  a public  demonstration 
of  the  same  kind  from  the  college.  The  bishop  of  the 
province  and  his  coadjutor  have  also  been  most  cordial  in 
offers  of  assistance.  Nor  does  the  interest  thus  expressed 
evaporate  in  empty  words.  Mr.  Pimenta  Bueno  is  director 
of  the  Brazilian  line  of  steamers  from  Par&  to  Tabatinga.* 
The  trip  to  Manaos,*  at  the  mouth  of  the  Bio  Negro,  is 
generally  made  in  five  days,  allowing  only  for  stoppages 
of  an  hour  or  two  at  different  stations,  to  take  or  leave 
passengers  and  to  deposit  or  receive  merchandise.  In  order 
that  we  may  be  perfectly  independent,  however,  and  stop 
wherever  it  seems  desirable  to  make  collections,  the  com 
pany  places  at  our  disposition  a steamer  for  one  month 
between  Para  and  Manaos.  There  are  to  be  no  passen- 
gers but  ourselves,  and  the  steamer  is  provided  with 
everything  necessary  for  the  whole  company  during  that 
period,  — food,  service,  &c.  I think  it  may  fairly  be  said 
that  in  no  part  of  the  world  could  a private  scientific  un- 
dertaking be  greeted  with  more  cordiality  or  receive  a more 
liberal  hospitality  than  has  been  accorded  to  the  present 

* The  President  of  this  line  is  the  Baron  de  Maza,  esteemed  by  his  country- 
men as  a financier  of  great  ability  and  a man  of  rare  energy,  perseverance,  and 
patriotism.  As  he  was  in  Europe  during  the  year  of  my  visit  to  Brazil,  I had 
not  the  pleasure  of  a personal  acquaintance  with  him,  and  I therefore  welcome 
this  opportunity  of  thanking  him  for  the  liberality  shown  in  all  their  dealings 
with  me  by  the  company  of  which  he  is  the  moving  spirit.  — L.  A. 

7 J 


146 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


expedition.  I dwell  upon  these  things  \nd  recur  to  them 
often,  not  in  any  spirit  of  egotism,  but  because  it  is  due 
to  the  character  of  the  people  from  whom  they  come  to 
make  the  fullest  acknowledgment  of  their  generosity. 

While  Mr.  Agassiz  has  been  busy  with  the  zoological 
collections,  Major  Coutinho  has  been  no  less  so  in  making 
geological,  meteorological,  and  hydrographic  investigations. 
His  regular  co-operation  is  invaluable,  and  Mr.  Agassiz 
blesses  the  day  when  their  chance  meeting  at  the  Palace 
suggested  the  idea  of  his  joining  the  expedition.  Not 
only  his  scientific  attainments,  but  his  knowledge  of  the 
Indian  language  (lingua  geral ),  and  his  familiarity  with 
the  people,  make  him  a most  important  coadjutor.  With 
his  aid  Mr.  Agassiz  has  already  opened  a sort  of  scien- 
tific log-book,  in  which,  by  the  side  of  the  scientific  name 
of  every  specimen  entered  by  the  Professor,  Major  Cou- 
tinho records  its  popular  local  name,  obtained  from  the 
Indians,  with  all  they  can  tell  of  its  haunts  and  Habits. 

I have  said  nothing  of  Mr.  Agassiz’s  observations  on  the 
character  of  the  soil  since  we  left  Rio,  thinking  it  best 
to  give  them  as  a whole.  Along  the  entire  length  of  the 
coast  he  has  followed  the  drift,  examining  it  carefully  at 
every  station.  At  Bahia  it  contained  fewer  large  boulders 
than  in  Rio,  but  was  full  of  small  pebbles,  and  rested 
upon  undecomposed  stratified  rock.  At  Maceio,  the  cap- 
ital of  the  province  of  Alagoas,  it  was  the  same,  but 
resting  upon  decomposed  rock,  as  at  Tijuca.  Below  this 
was  a bed  of  stratified  clay,  containing  small  pebbles. 
In  Pernambuco,  on  our  drive  to  the  great  aqueduct,  we 
followed  it  for  the  whole  way  ; the  same  red  clayey  ho- 
mogeneous paste,  resting  there  on  decomposed  rock.  The 
line  of  contact  at  Monteiro,  the  aqueduct  station,  was  very 


VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAST  TO  PARA' 


147 


clearly  marked,  however,  by  an  intervening  bed  of  pebbles. 
At  Parahyba  do  Norte  the  same  sheet  of  drift,  but  con- 
taining more  and  larger  pebbles,  rests  above  a decomposed 
sandstone  somewhat  resembling  the  decomposed  rock  of 
Pernambuco.  In  the  undecomposed  rock  below,  Mr.  Ag- 
assiz found  some  fossil  shells.  In  the  neighborhood  of 
Cape  St.  Roque  we  came  upon  sand-dunes  resembling 
those  of  Cape  Cod,  and  wherever  we  sailed  near  enough 
to  the  shore  to  see  the  banks  distinctly,  as  was  frequently 
the  case,  the  bed  of  drift  below  the  shifting  superficial 
sands  above  was  distinctly  noticeable.  The  difference  in 
color  between  the  white  sand  and  the  reddish  soil  beneath 
made  it  easy  to  perceive  their  relations.  At  Ceard,  where 
we  landed,  Mr.  Agassiz  had  an  opportunity  of  satisfying 
himself  of  this  by  closer  examination.  At  Maranham 
the  drift  is  everywhere  conspicuous,  and  at  Para  equally 
so.  This  sheet  of  drift  which  he  has  thus  followed  from 
Rio  de  Janeiro  to  the  mouth  of  the  Amazons  is  every- 
where of  the  same  geological  constitution.  It  is  always 
a homogeneous  clayey  paste  of  a reddish  color,  containing 
quartz  pebbles  ; and,  whatever  be  the  character  of  the  rock 
in  place,  whether  granite,  sandstone,  gneiss,  or  lime,  the 
character  of  the  drift  never  changes  or  partakes  of  that 
of  the  rocks  with  which  it  is  in  contact.  This  certainly 
proves  that,  whatever  be  its  origin,  it  cannot  be  referred 
to  the  localities  where  it  is  now  found,  but  must  have 
been  brought  from  a distance.  Whoever  shall  track  it 
back  to  the  place  where  this  peculiar  red  soil  with  its 
constituent  elements  forms  the  primitive  rock,  will  have 
solved  the  problem.  I introduce  here  a letter  written 
by  Mr.  Agassiz,  a few  days  later,  to  the  Emperor,  which 
will  better  give  his  views  on  the  subject. 


148 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


A BORD  DE  L’lCAMIABA,  SUR  L’AmAZONE, 
le  20  Aout,  1865. 

Sire  : — Permettez  moi  de  rendre  un  compte  rapid  e a 
Votre  Majesty,  de  ce  que  j’ai  observe  de  plus  interessant 
depuis  mon  depart  de  Rio.  La  premiere  chose  qui  m’a 
frappe  en  arrivant  a Bahia,  ce  fut  d’y  trouver  le  terrain  erra- 
tique,  comme  a la  Tijuca  et  comme  dans  la  partie  meridi- 
onale  de  Minas,  que  j’ai  visitee.  Ici  comme  la,  ce  terrain, 
d’une  constitution  identique,  repose  sur  les  roches  en  place 
les  plus  diversifies.  Je  l’ai  retrouve  de  meme  a Maceio, 
& Pernambuco,  a Parahyba  do  Norte,  a Ceara,  a Maranham, 
et  au  Para.  Voila  done  un  fait  etabli  sur  la  plus  grande 
edielle  ! Cela  ddmontre  que  les  materiaux  superficiels, 
que  l’on  pourrait  designer  du  nom  de  drift,  ici  comme 
dans  le  Nord  de  l’Europe  et  de  l’Amerique,  ne  sauraient 
etre  le  resultat  de  la  decomposition  des  roches  sous-jacentes, 
puisque  celles-ci  sont  tantot  du  granit,  tantdt  du  gneiss, 
tantdt  du  scliiste  micace  ou  talqueux,  tantdt  du  gr£s,  tandis 
que  le  drift  offre  partout  la  meme  composition.  Je  n’en 
suis  pas  moins  aussi  eloigne  que  jamais  de  pouvoir  signaler 
l’origine  de  ces  materiaux  et  la  direction  de  leur  transport. 
Aujourd’hui  que  le  Major  Coutinho  a appris  a distinguer 
le  drift  des  roches  decomposes,  il  m’assure  que  nous  le 
retrouverons  dans  toute  la  valine  de  l’Amazcine.  L’imagi- 
nation  la  plus  hardie  recule  devant  toute  esp^ce  de  genera- 
lisation a ce  sujet.  Et  pourtant,  il  faudra  bien  en  venir 
a se  familiariser  avec  l’idee  que  la  cause  qui  a disperse 
ces  materiaux,  quelle  qu’elle  soit,  a agi  sur  la  plus 
grande  echelle,  puisqu’on  les  retrouvera  probablement  sur 
tout  le  continent.  Deja  j’apprends  que  mes  jeunes  com- 
pagnons  de  voyage  ont  observe  le  drift  dans  les  environs 
de  Barbacena  et  d’Ouro-Preto  et  dans  la  valRe  du  Rio  das 


VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAST  TO  PARA. 


149 


Velbas.  Mes  r^sultats  zoologiques  ne  sont  pas  moins  satis- 
faisants ; et  pour  ne  parler  que  des  poissons,  j’ai  trouve  a 
Par&  seulement,  pendant  une  semaine,  plus  d’especes  qu’on 
n’en  a d^crit  jusqu’a  present  de  tout  le  bassin  de  l’Ama- 
zdne  ; c.  a.  d.  en  tout  soixante-trois.  Cette  £tude  sera,  je 
crois,  utile  a l’ichthyologie,  car  j’ai  d6ja  pu  distinguer  cinq 
families  nouvelles  et  dix-huit  genres  nouveaux  et  les  especes 
inddites  ne  s’61£vent  pas  a moins  de  quarante-neuf.  C’est 
une  garantie  que  je  ferai  encore  une  riche  moisson,  lorsque 
j’entrerai  dans  le  domaine  de  l’Amaz6ne  proprement  dit ; 
car  je  n’ai  encore  vu  qu’un  dixieme  des  especes  fluviatiles 
que  l’on  connait  de  ce  bassin  et  les  quelques  esp&ces  marines 
qui  remontent  jusqu’au  Pard.  Malheureusement  M.  Burk- 
hardt  est  malade  et  je  n’ai  encore  pu  faire  peindre  que 
quatre  des  especes  nouvelles  que  je  me  suis  procures,  et  puis 
pres  de  la  moitid  n’ont  6te  prises  qu’en  exemplaires  uniques. 
II  faut  absolument  qu’a  mon  retour  je  fasse  un  plus  long 
sejour  au  Para  pour  remplir  ces  lacunes.  Je  suis  dans  le 
ravissement  de  la  nature  grandiose  que  j’ai  sous  les  yeux. 
Votre  Majesty  r^gne  sans  contredit  sur  le  plus  bel  empire 
du  monde  et  toutes  personelles  que  soient  les  attentions  que 
je  regois  partout  ou  je  m’arrete,  je  ne  puis  m’empecher 
de  croire  que  n’dtait  le  caractere  g^nereux  et  hospitalier 
des  Bresiliens  et  l’iilteret  des  classes  sup^rieures  pour  le 
progres  des  sciences  et  de  la  civilisation,  je  n’aurais  point 
rencontr^  les  facilites  qui  se  pressent  sous  mes  pas.  C’est 
ainsi  que  pour  me  faciliter  l’exploration  du  fleuve,  du  Pard 
a Manaos,  M.  Pimenta  Bueno,  au  lieu  de  m’acheminer  par 
le  steamer  regulier,  a mis  a ma  disposition,  pour  un  mois 
ou  six  semaines,  un  des  plus  beaux  bateaux  de  la  compagnie, 
ou  je  suis  instale  aussi  commodement  que  dans  mon  Mus6e 
a Cambridge.  M.  Coutinho  est  plein  d’atteotion  et  me 


150 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


rend  mon  travail  doublement  facile  en  le  prdparant  h 
l’avance  pa*  tous  les  renseignements  possibles. 

Mais  je  ne  veux  pas  abuser  des  loisirs  de  Yotre  Majesty 
et  je  la  prie  de  croire  toujours  au  devouement  le  plus  complet 
et  a l’affection  la  plus  respectueuse 

De  son  tres  humble  et  tres  obeissant  serviteur, 

L.  Agassiz.* 

* On  board  the  Icamiaba,  on  the  Amazons, 
August  20,  1865. 

Sire  : — Allow  me  to  give  your  Majesty  a rapid  sketch  of  the  most  inter- 
esting facts  observed  by  me  since  leaving  Rio.  The  first  thing  which  struck  me 
on  arriving  at  Bahia  was  the  presence  of  the  erratic  soil,  corresponding  to 
that  of  Tijuca  and  the  southern  part  of  Minas-Geraes,  which  I have  visited. 
Here,  as  there,  this  soil,  identical  in  its  constitution,  rests  upon  rocks  in 
place,  of  the  most  diversified  character.  I have  found  it  also  at  Maceio, 
at  Pernambuco,  at  Parahyba  do  Norte,  at  Ceara,  at  Maranham,  and  at 
Para.  This  is  a fact,  then,  established  on  the  largest  scale.  It  shows  that 
the  superficial  materials  which,  here  as  in  the  North  of  Europe  and  America, 
may  be  designated  as  drift,  cannot  be  the  result  of  the  decomposition  of 
underlying  rocks,  since  the  latter  are  sometimes  granite,  sometimes  gneiss, 
sometimes  mica  or  talcose  slate,  sometimes  sandstone,  while  the  drift  presents 
the  same  composition  everywhere.  I am  as  far  as  ever  from  being  able  to 
point  out  the  origin  of  these  materials  and  the  direction  of  their  transporta- 
tion. Now  that  Major  Coutinho  has  learned  to  distinguish  the  drift  from 
the  decomposed  rocks,  he  assures  me  that  we  shall  find  it  throughout  the 
valley  of  the  Amazons.  The  boldest  imagination  shrinks  from  any  general- 
ization on  this  subject,  and  yet  we  must  gradually  familiarize  ourselves  with 
the  idea  that  the  cause  which  has  dispersed  these  materials,  whatever  it  be, 
has  acted  on  the  largest  scale,  since  they  are  probably  to  be  found  all  over 
the  continent.  Already  I learn  that  my  young  travelling  companions  have 
observed  the  drift  in  the  environs  of  Barbacena  and  Ouro-Preto,  and  in  the 
valley  of  the  Rio  das  Velhas.  My  zoological  results  are  not  less  satisfactory; 
and  to  speak  of  the  fishes  alone,  I have  found  at  Para  during  one  week  more 
species  than  have  as  yet  been  described  from  the  whole  basin  of  the  Ama- 
zons, — sixty-three  in  all.  This  study  will  be  useful,  I hope,  to  ichthyology, 
for  I have  already  succeeded  in  distinguishing  five  new  families  and  eighteen 
new  genera,  while  the  unpublished  species  do  not  number  less  than  forty-nine. 
It  is  a guaranty  of  the  rich  harvest  I shall  make  when  I enter  upon  the 


VOYAGE  UP  THE  COAST  TO  PARA'. 


151 


domain  of  the  Amazons  properly  so  called  ; for  I have  seen  as  yet  but  a tenth 
part  of  the  fluviatile  species  known  from  this  basin,  and  some  of  the  marine 
species  which  come  up  to  Para.  Unhappily,  Mr.  Burkhardt  is  ill,  and  has  been 
able  to  paint  but  four  of  the  new  species  we  have  procured ; and  of  nearly 
half  the  number,  only  single  specimens  have  been  secured.  On  my  return 
I must  make  a longer  stay  in  Para  in  order  to  fill  these  deficiencies.  I am 
enchanted  with  the  grandeur  of  nature  here.  Your  Majesty  certainly  reigns 
over  the  most  beautiful  empire  of  the  world ; and,  personal  as  are  the  atten- 
tions which  I receive  wherever  I stop,  I cannot  but  believe  that,  were  it  not  for 
the  generous  and  hospitable  character  of  the  Brazilians  and  the  interest  of  the 
higher  classes  in  the  progress  of  science  and  civilization,  I should  not  have 
met  with  the  facilities  which  crowd  my  path.  Thus,  in  order  to  render  the 
exploration  of  the  river  from  Para  to  Manaos  more  easy,  Mr.  Pimenta  Bueno, 
instead  of  allowing  me  to  take  the  regular  steamer,  has  put  at  my  disposition, 
for  a month  or  six  weeks,  one  of  the  finest  boats  of  the  company,  where  I am 
installed  as  conveniently  as  in  my  Museum  at  Cambridge.  Mr.  Coutinho  is 
full  of  attention,  and  renders  my  work  doubly  light  by  procuring,  in  advance, 
all  the  information  possible.  But  I will  not  further  abuse  your  Majesty’s 
leisure,  only  begging  you  to  believe  in  the  complete  devotion  and  respectful 
affection  of 

' Your  humble  and  obedient  servant, 

L.  Agassiz. 


152 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 

First  Sunday  on  the  Amazons. — Geographical  Question.  — Convenient 
Arrangements  of  Steamer.  — Vast  Dimensions  of  the  River.  — Aspect 
of  Shores.  — Village  of  Breves.  — Letter  about  Collections.  — Vege- 
tation.— Variety  of  Palms.  — Settlement  of  Tajapuru.  — Enormous 
Size  of  Leaves  of  the  Miriti  Palm.  — Walk  on  Shore.  — Indian  Houses. 
— Courtesy  of  Indians.  — Row  in  the  Forest.  — Town  of  Gurupa. — 
River  Xingu.  — Color  of  Water.  — Town  of  Tor  to  do  Moz.  — Flat- 
topped  Hills  of  Almeyrim.  — Beautiful  Sunset.  — Monte  Alegre.  — 
Character  of  Scenery  and  Soil.  — Santarem.  — Send  off  Party  on 
the  River  Tapajos.  — Continue  up  the  Amazons.  — Pastoral  Scenes  on 
the  Banks.  — Town  of  Villa  Bella.  — Canoe  Journey  at  Night  to  the 
Lake  of  Josls  Assu.  — Esperan9a’s  Cottage.  — Picturesque  Scene  at 
Night.  — Success  in  Collecting.  — Indian  Life.  — Making  Farinha.  — 
Dance  in  the  Evening.  — Howling  Monkeys.  — Religious  Impressions 
of  Indians.  — Cottage  of  Maia  the  Fisherman.  — His  Interest  in  edu- 
cating his  Children.  — Return  to  Steamer.  — Scientific  Results  of 
the  Excursion. 


August  20th.  — On  board  the  “ Icamiaba.’,  Our  first 
Sunday  on  the  Amazons ; for,  notwithstanding  the  warm 
dispute  as  to  whether  both  the  rivers  enclosing  the  island 
of  Marajo  must  be  considered  as  parts  of  the  great  river, 
it  is  impossible  not  to  feel  from  the  moment  you  leave 
Pard  that  you  have  entered  upon  the  Amazons.  Geology 
must  settle  this  knotty  question.  If  it  should  be  seen 
that  the  continent  once  presented  an  unbroken  line,  as 
Mr.  Agassiz  believes,  from  Cape  St.  Roque  to  Cayenne, 
the  sea  having  encroached  upon  it  so  as  to  give  it  its 
present  limits,  the  Amazons  must  originally  have  entered 
the  ocean  far  to  the  east  of  its  present  mouth,  at  a time 
when  the  Island  of  Marajo  divided  the  river  in  two  channels 
flowing  on  either  side  of  it  and  uniting  again  beyond  it. 


FKOM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


153 


We  came  on  board  last  night,  accompanied  to  the  boat  by 
a number  of  the  friends  who  have  made  our  sojourn  in 
Pard  so  agreeable,  and  who  came  off  to  bid  us  farewell. 
Thus  far  the  hardships  of  this  South  American  journey 
seem  to  retreat  at  our  approach.  It  is  impossible  to  travel 
with  greater  comfort  than  surrounds  us  here.  My  own 
suite  of  rooms  consists  of  a good-sized  state-room,  with 
dressing-room  and  bath-room  adjoining,  and,  if  the  others 
are  not  quite  so  luxuriously  accommodated,  they  have 
space  enough.  The  state-rooms  are  hardly  used  at  night, 
for  a hammock  on  deck  is  far  more  comfortable  in  this 
climate.  Our  deck,  roofed  in  for  its  whole  length,  and 
with  an  awning  to  let  down  on  the  sides,  if  needed,  looks 
like  a comfortable,  unceremonious  sitting-room.  A table 
down  the  middle  serving  as  a dinner-table,  but  which  is  at 
this  moment  strewn  with  maps,  journals,  books,  and  papers 
of  all  sorts,  two  or  three  lounging-chairs,  a number  of  camp- 
stools,  and  half  a dozen  hammocks,  in  one  or  two  of  which 
some  of  the  party  are  taking  their  ease,  furnish  our  drawing- 
room, and  supply  all  that  is  needed  for  work  and  rest.  At 
one  end  is  also  a drawing-table  for  Mr.  Burkhardt,  beside  a 
number  of  kegs  and  glass  jars  for  specimens.  This  first  day, 
however,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  do  more  than  look  and 
wonder.  Mr.  Agassiz  says  : “ This  river  is  not  like  a river ; 
the  general  current  in  such  a sea  of  fresh  water  is  hardly 
perceptible  to  the  sight,  and  seems  more  like  the  flow  of 
an  ocean  than  like  that  of  an  inland  stream.”  It  is  true 
we  are  constantly  between  shores,  but  they  are  shores,  not 
of  the  river  itself,  but  of  the  countless  islands  scattered 
throughout  its  enormous  breadth.  As  we  coast  along 
their  banks,  it  is  delightful  to  watch  the  exquisite  vege- 
tation with  which  we  have  yet  to  become  familiar.  The 
7* 


154 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


tree  which  moist  immediately  strikes  the  eye,  and  stands 
out  from  the  mass  of  green  with  wonderful  grace  and 
majesty,  is  the  lofty,  slender  Assai  palm,  with  its  crown 
of  light  plume-like  leaves,  and  its  bunches  of  berry-like 
fruit,  hanging  from  a branch  that  shoots  out  almost  hori- 
zontally, just  below  the  leaves.  Houses  on  the  shore 
break  the  solitude  here  and  there.  From  this  distance 
they  look  picturesque,  with  thatched,  overhanging  roofs, 
covering  a kind  of  open  porch.  Just  now  we  passed  a 
cleared  nook  at  the  water-side,  where  a wooden  cross 
marked  a single  mound.  What  a lonely  grave  it  seemed ! 
We  are  now  coasting  along  the  Isle  of  Marajo,  keeping  up 
the  so-called  Pard  river ; we  shall  not  enter  the  undisputed 
waters  of  the  Amazons  till  the  day  after  to-morrow.  This 
part  of  the  river  goes  also  by  the  name  of  the  Bay  of  Marajd. 

August  21st.  — Last  evening  we  stopped  at  our  first  sta- 
tion,— the  little  town  of  Breves.  Its  population,  like  that 
of  all  these  small  settlements  on  the  Lower  Amazons,  is 
made  up  of  an  amalgamation  of  races.  You  see  the  regu- 
lar features  and  fair  skin  of  the  white  man  combined  with 
the  black,  coarse,  straight  hair  of  the  Indian,  or  the  mulatto 
with  partly  negro,  partly  Indian  features,  but  the  crisp  taken 
out  of  the  hair  ; and  with  these  combinations  comes  in  the 
pure  Indian  type,  with  its  low  brow,  square  build  of  face, 
and  straight  line  of  the  shoulders.  In  the  women  especially 
the  shoulders  are  rather  high.  In  the  first  house  we  en- 
tered there  was  only  an  old  half-breed  Indianwoman,  stand- 
ing in  the  broad  open  porch  of  her  thatched  home,  where 
she  seemed  to  be  surrounded  with  live  stock,  - — parrots  and 
parroquets  of  all  sorts  and  sizes,  which  she  kept  for  sale. 
After  looking  in  at  several  of  the  houses,  buying  one  or  two 
monkeys,  some  parroquets,  and  some  articles  of  the  village 


FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


155 


pottery,  as  ugly,  I must  say,  as  they  were  curious,  we 
wandered  up  into  the  forest  to  gather  plants  for  dry- 
ing. The  palms  are  more  abundant,  larger,  and  in  great- 
er variety  than  we  have  seen  them  hitherto.  At  dusk 
we  returned  to  the  steamer,  where  we  found  a crowd 
of  little  boys  and  some  older  members  of  the  village 
population,  with  snakes,  fishes,  insects,  monkeys,  &c. 
The  news  had  spread  that  the  collecting  of  “ bixos  ” 
was  the  object  of  this  visit  to  their  settlement,  and  all 
were  thronging  in  with  their  live  wares  of  different  kiiids. 
Mr.  Agassiz  was  very  much  pleased  with  this  first  harvest. 
He  added  a considerable  number  of  new  species  to  his 
collection  of  Amazonian  fishes  made  in  Para,  already  so 
full  and  rare.  We  remained  at  the  Breves  landing  all 
night,  and  this  morning  we  are  steaming  along  between 
islands,  in  a channel  which  bears  the  name  of  the  river 
Aturia.  It  gives  an  idea  of  the  grandeur  of  the  Amazons, 
that  many  of  the  channels  dividing  the  islands  by  which 
its  immense  breadth  is  broken  are  themselves  like  ample 
rivers,  and  among  the  people  here  are  known  by  distinct 
local  names.  The  banks  are  flat ; we  have  seen  no  cliffs 
as  yet,  and  the  beauty  of  the  scenery  is  wholly  in  the 
forest.  I speak  more  of  the  palms  than  of  other  trees, 
because  they  are  not  to  be  mistaken,  and  from  their  pe- 
culiar port  they  stand  out  in  bold  relief  from  the  mass 
of  foliage,  often  rising  above  it  and  sharply  defined  against 
the  sky.  There  are,  however,  a host  of  other  trees,  the 
names  of  which  are  unknown  to  us  as  yet,  many  of  which 
I suppose  have  no  place  even  in  botanical  nomenclature, 
forming  a dense  wall  of  verdure  along  the  banks  of  the 
river.  We  have  sometimes  heard  it  said  that  the  voyage 
up  the  Amazons  is  monotonous ; but  to  me  it  seems  de- 


156 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


lightful  to  coast  along  by  these  woods,  of  a character  so 
new  to  us,  to  get  glimpses  into  their  dark  depths  or  into 
a cleared  spot  with  a single  stately  palm  here  and  there, 
or  to  catch  even  the  merest  glance  at  the  life  of  the  people 
who  live  in  the  isolated  settlements,  consisting  only  of  one  or 
two  Indian  houses  by  the  river-side.  We  are  keeping  so 
near  to  the  banks  to-day,  that  we  can  almost  count  the 
leaves  on  the  trees,  and  have  an  excellent  opportunity 
of  studying  the  various  kinds  of  palms.  At  first  the 
Assai  was  most  conspicuous,  but  now  come  in  a number 
of  others.  The  Miriti  (Mauri tia)  is  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful, with  its  pendant  clusters  of  reddish  fruit  and  its 
enormous,  spreading,  fan-like  leaves  cut  into  ribbons,  one 
of  which  Wallace  says  is  a load  for  a man.  The  Jupati 
(Rhapliia),  with  its  plume-like  leaves,  sometimes  from  forty 
to  fifty  feet  in  length,  seems,  in  consequence  of  its  short 
stem,  to  start  almost  from  the  ground.  Its  vase-like  form 
is  peculiarly  graceful  and  symmetrical.  Then  there  is  the 
Bussu  (Manicaria),  with  stiff,  entire  leaves,  some  thirty 
feet  in  length,  more  upright  and  close  in  their  mode  of 
growth,  and  serrated  along  their  edges.  The  stem  of  this 
palm  also  is  comparatively  short.  The  banks  in  this  part 
of  the  river  are  very  generally  bordered  by  two  plants 
forming  sometimes  a sort  of  hedge  along  the  shore  ; name- 
ly, the  Aninga  (Arum),  with  large,  heart-shaped  leaves  on 
the  summit  of  tall  stems,  and  the  Murici,  a lower  growth, 
just  on  the  water’s  edge.  We  are  passing  out  of  the 
so-called  river  Aturia  into  another  channel  of  like  char- 
acter, the  river  Tajapuru.  In  the  course  of  the  day  we 
shall  arrive  at  a little  settlement  bearing  the  same  name, 
where  is  to  be  our  second  station. 

August  22 d.  — Yesterday  we  passed  the  day  at  the  set- 


FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


157 


tlement  mentioned  above.  It  consists  only  of  the  house  of 
a Brazilian  merchant,*  who  lives  here  with  his  family,  having 
no  neighbors  except  the  inhabitants  of  a few  Indian  houses 
in  the  forest  immediately  about.  One  wonders  at  first  what 
should  induce  a man  to  isolate  himself  in  this  solitude. 
But  the  India-rubber  trade  is  very  productive  here.  Jhe 
Indians  tap  the  trees  as  we  tap  our  sugar-maples,  and 
give  the  produce  in  exchange  for  various  articles  of  their 
own  domestic  consumption.  Our  day  at  Tajapuru  was  a 
very  successful  one  in  a scientific  point  of  view,  and  the 
collections  were  again  increased  by  a number  of  new 
species.  Much  as  has  been  said  of  the  number  and  va- 
riety of  fishes  in  the  Amazons,  the  fauna  seems  far  richer 
than  it  has  been  reported.  For  those  of  my  readers  who 
care  to  follow  the  scientific  progress  of  the  expedition  as 
well  as  the  thread  of  personal  adventure,  I add  here  a 
letter  on  the  subject,  written  a day  or  two  later  by  Mr. 
Agassiz  to  Mr.  Pimenta  Bueno,  in  Pard,  the  generous 
friend  to  whom  he  owes  in  a great  degree  the  facilities 
he  enjoys  in  this  voyage. 

22  Aout,  au  matin:  entre  Tajapuni  et  Gurupa. 

Mon  cher  Ami  : — La  journee  d’hier  a 6t6  des  plus 
instructives,  surtout  pour  les  poissons  “ do  Mato.”  Nous 
avons  obtenu  quinze  especes  en  tout.  Sur  ce  nombre  il  y 
en  a dix  nouvelles,  quatre  qui  se  trouvent  aussi  au  Para  et 
une  deja  decrite  par  moi  dans  le  voyage  de  Spix  et  Mar- 
tius ; mais  ce  qu’il  y a de  plus  int^ressant,  e’est  la  preuve 
que  fournissent  ces  especes,  a les  prendre  dans  leur  totality, 
que  Y ensemble  des  poissons  qui  habitent  les  eaux  a l’ouest 

* Senhor  Sepeda,  a most  hospitable  and  courteous  gentleman,  to  whom  we 
were  indebted  then  and  afterwards  for  much  kindness,  and  also  for  valuable 
collections  put  up  during  our  journey  to  the  Upper  Amazons. 


158 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


du  groupe  d’iles  qu’on  appelle  Marajd,  differe  de  ceux 
des  eaux  du  Rio  do  Pard.  La  liste  des  noms  que  nous 
avons  demandde  aux  Indiens  prouve  encore  que  le  nombre 
des  especes  qui  se  trouvent  dans  ces  localites  est  beaucoup 
plus  considerable  que  celui  des  especes  que  nous  avons 
pu  nous  procurer  ; aussi  avons  nous  laissd  des  bocaux  a 
Breves  et  a Tajapuru  pour  completer  la  collection. 

Voici  quelques  remarques  qui  vous  feront  mieux  appre- 
cier  ces  differences,  si  vous  voulez  les  comparer  avec  le 
catalogue  des  especes  du  Para  que  je  vous  ai  laisse.  A 
tout  prendre,  il  me  parait  evident  d£s  a present  que  notre 
voyage  fera  une  revolution  dans  l’lchthyologie.  Et  d’abord, 
le  Jacunda  de  Tajapuru  est  different  des  especes  du  Pard; 
de  me  me  1’Acara ; puis  nous  avons  une  espece  nouvelle  de 
Sarapo  et  une  espece  nouvelle  de  Jeju  ; une  espece  nouvelle 
de  Rabeca,  une  espece  nouvelle  d’Anoja,  un  genre  nouveau 
de  Candiru,  un  genre  nouveau  de  Bagre,  un  genre  nouveau 
d’Acary  et  une  espece  nouvelle  d’Acary  du  meme  genre 
que  celui  du  Pard ; plus  une  espSce  nouvelle  de  Matupirim. 
Ajoutez  a ceci  une  espece  d’Aracu  ddja  decrite,  mais  qui  ne 
se  trouve  pas  au  Pard  et  vous  aurez  a Tajapuru  onze  especes 
qui  n’existent  pas  au  Para,  auxquelles  il  faut  ajouter  encore 
quatre  especes  qui  se  trouvent  a Tajapuru  aussi  bien  qu’au 
Pard,  et  une  qui  se  trouve  au  Para,  a Breves,  et  a Tajapuru. 
En  tout  vingt  especes,  dont  quinze  nouvelles,  en  deux  jours. 
Malheureusement  les  Indiens  ont  mal  compris  nos  directions, 
et  ne  nous  ont  rapporte  qu’un  seul  exemplaire  de  chacune 
de  ces  especes.  Il  reste  done  beaucoup  a faire  dans  ces 
localites,  surtout  a en  juger  d’apres  le  catalogue  des  noms 
recueillis  par  le  Major  Coutinho  qui  renferme  vingt-six 
especes  udo  Mato”  et  quarante-six  “ do  Rio.”  Il  nous  en 
manque  done  au  moins  cinquante-deux  de  Tajapuru,  memo 


FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


159 


a supposer  que  cette  locality  renferme  aussi  les  cinq  espSces 
de  Breves.  Vous  voyez  que  nous  laisserons  encore  6norm6- 
ment  a faire  a nos  successeurs. 

Adieu  pour  aujourd’hui,  votre  bien  affection^ 

L.  Agassiz  * 

* August  22d,  morning  : between  Tajapuru  and  Gurupi. 

My  dear  Friend  : — Yesterday  was  a most  instructive  day,  — above  all,  in 
the  “forest  fishes.”  We  have  obtained  fifteen  species  in  all.  Out  of  this  num- 
ber ten  are  new,  four  are  found  also  in  Para,  and  one  has  been  already  described 
by  me  in  the  voyage  of  Spix  and  Martius ; but  what  is  most  interesting  is  the 
proof  furnished  by  these  species,  taken  in  their  totality,  that  the  fishes  inhabit- 
ing the  waters  west  of  the  group  of  islands  called  Marajo,  when  considered  as 
a whole,  differ  from  those  of  the  Para  river.  The  list  of  names  which  we 
have  asked  from  the  Indians  shows,  further,  that  the  number  of  species  found 
in  these  localities  exceeds  greatly  that  which  we  have  been  able  to  procure ; 
for  this  reason  we  have  left  cans  at  Breves  and  at  Tajapuru  in  order  to  complete 
the  collection.  I add  some  remarks  which  will  help  you  to  appreciate  these 
differences,  if  you  wish  to  compare  them  with  the  catalogue  of  the  Para  species 
which  I left  with  you.  Considering  all,  it  seems  to  me  already  apparent  that 
our  voyage  will  make  a revolution  in  Ichthyology.  In  the  first  place,  the 
Jacunda  of  Tajapuru  is  different  from  those  of  Para ; so  is  the  Acara ; then 
we  have  a new  species  of  Sarapo,  and  also  one  of  Jeju a new  species  of  Rabeca, 
a new  species  of  Anoja,  a new  genus  of  Candiru,  a new  genus  of  Bagre,  a 
new  genus  of  Acary,  and  a new  species  of  Acary  belonging  to  the  same  genus 
as  that  of  Para ; also  a new  species  of  Matupirim.  Add  to  this  a species 
of  Aracu,  already  described,  but  which  is  not  found  at  Para,  and  you  will 
have  at  Tajapuru  eleven  species  which  do  not  exist  at  Para,  to  which  must 
be  added  four  species  which  are  found  at  Tajapuru  as  well  as  at  Para,  and  one 
which  occurs  at  Para,  Breves,  and  Tajapuru.  In  all  twenty  species,  of  which 
fifteen  are  new,  in  two  days.  Unhappily,  the  Indians  have  misunderstood  our 
directions,  and  have  brought  us  but  one  specimen  of  each  species.  There 
remains,  then,  much  to  do  in  these  localities,  judging  from  the  catalogue 
of  names  collected  by  Major  Coutinho,  which  includes  twenty-six  species  from 
the  forest  and  forty-six  from  the  river.  We  are  still  lacking  at  least  fifty-two 
species  from  Tajapuru,  even  supposing  that  this  locality  contains  also  the  five 
species  from  Breves.  You  see  that  we  shall  yet  leave  a large  share  of  the 
work  to  our  successors. 

Adieu  for  to-day,  your  affectionate 

L.  Agassiz. 


160 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


The  Indians  here  are  very  skilful  in  fishing,  and  instead 
of  going  to  collect,  Mr.  Agassiz,  immediately  on  arriving 
at  any  station,  sends  off  several  fishermen  of  the  place, 
remaining  himself  on  board  to  superintend  the  drawing 
and  putting  up  of  the  specimens  as  they  arrive.*  He 

* The  opportunity  of  watching  these  fishes  in  their  natural  element,  and 
keeping  many  of  them  alive  for  hours  or  days  in  our  glass  tanks,  was  very 
instructive,  and  suggested  comparisons  not  dreamed  of  before.  Our  arrange- 
ments were  very  convenient ; and  as  the  commander  of  the  steamer  allowed  me 
to  encumber  the  deck  with  all  sorts  of  scientific  apparatus,  I had  a number  of 
large  glass  dishes  and  wooden  tubs  in  which  I kept  such  specimens  as  I wished 
to  investigate  with  special  care  and  to  have  drawn  from  life.  One  of  the  most 
striking  changes  made  by  J.  Muller,  in  the  classification  of  the  spiny  fishes, 
was  the  separation  into  a distinct  order,  under  the  name  of  Pharyngognatfii, 
of  all  those  in  which  the  pharyngeal  bones  are  soldered  together.  With  these 
the  illustrious  German  anatomist  has  associated  a number  of  soft-rayed  types, 
formerly  united  with  the  Pickerels  and  Herrings,  and  characterized  by  the  same 
structure.  It  would  thus  seem  that  there  is  here  a definite  anatomical  character 
easily  traceable,  by  the  aid  of  which  a vast  number  of  fishes  might  be  correctly 
classified.  But  the  question  at  once  arises,  Are  these  fishes  truly  related  to  one 
another,  and  so  combined  in  this  new  order  of  Pharyngognathi  as  to  include  all 
which  properly  belong  with  them,  and  none  others  1 I think  not.  I believe  that 
Muller  has  always  placed  too  much  value  upon  isolated  anatomical  characters ; 
and,  while  he  was  undoubtedly  one  of  the  greatest  anatomists  and  physiologists 
of  our  age,  he  lacked  zoological  tact.  This  is  especially  evident  with  reference 
to  the  order  of  Pharyngognathi,  for  though  the  Scomberesoces  have  fixed  pha- 
ryngeals  like  Chromides,  Pomacentrides,  Labroids,  Holconotes,  and  Gerrides, 
they  have  no  real  affinities  with  these  families.  Again,  the  character  assigned 
to  this  order  is  not  constant  even  in  the  typical  Pharyngognathi.  I' have  found 
Chromides  and  Gerrides  with  movable  pharyngeals  ; in  the  genus  Cychla  they 
are  normally  so.  It  is  therefore  not  out  of  place  to  state  here  that  the  Chro- 
mides of  South  America  are  in  reality  closely  related  to  a group  of  fishes  very 
generally  found  in  the  United  States,  known  as  Pomotis,  Bryttus,  Centrarchus, 
etc.,  and  usually  referred  to  the  family  of  Perches,  from  which  they  have, 
however,  been  separated  by  Dr.  Holbrook  under  the  name  of  Helichthyoids. 
They  not  only  resemble  the  Chromides  in  their  form,  but  even  in  their  habits, 
mode  of  reproduction,  peculiar  movements,  and  even  in  their  coloration. 
Cuvier  has  already  shown  that  Enoplosus  is  not  a member  of  the  family 


FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


161 


made  at  Tajapuru  a collection  of  the  leaves  and  fruit  of 
palms,  of  which  there  were  several  very  beautiful  ones 
near  the  shore.  I sat  for  a long  time  on  the  deck  watch 
ing  an  Indian  cutting  a leaf  from  a Miriti  palm.  He  was 
sitting  in  the  crotch  of  a single  leaf,  as  safe  and  as  perfectly 
supported  as  if  he  had  been  on  the  branch  of  an  oak-tree, 
and  it  took  many  blows  of  his  heavy  axe  to  separate  the 
leaf  at  his  side  which  he  was  trying  to  bring  down.  The 
heat  during  the  day  was  intense,  but  at  about  five  o’clock 

it  became  quite  cool  and  R and  I strolled  on  shore. 

Walking  here  is  a peculiar  process,  and  seems  rather 
alarming  till  you  become  accustomed  to  it.  A great  part 
of  the  land,  even  far  up  into  the  forest,  is  overflowed, 
and  single  logs  are  thrown  across  the  streams  and  pools, 
over  which  the  inhabitants  walk  with  as  much  security 
as  on  a broad  road,  but  which  seem  anything  but  safe 
to  the  new-comer.  After  we  had  gone  a little  way  we 
came  to  an  Indian  house  on  the  border  of  the  wood. 
Here  we  were  very  cordially  invited  to  enter,  and  had 
again  cause  to  comment  on  the  tidy  aspect  of  the  porch, 
which  is  their  general  reception-room.  A description  of 
one  of  these  dwellings  will  do  for  all.  Their  materials  are 
drawn  from  the  forest  about  them.  The  frames  are  made 

of  Chaetodonts,  and  I may  now  add  that  it  is  a near  relative  of  the  Chrom 
and  should  stand  hy  the  side  of  Pterophyllum  in  a natural  system.  Monocir- 
rus of  Heckel,  which  I consider  as  the  type  of  a small  family  under  the  name 
of  Folhidae,  is  also  closely  allied  to  these,  though  provided  with  a barbel, 
and  should  he  placed  with  Polycentrus  side  by  side  with  the  Chromides  and 
Helichthyoids.  The  manner  in  which  Pterophyllum  moves  is  quite  peculiar. 
The  profile  of  the  head  and  the  extended  anterior  margin  of  the  high  dorsal 
are  brought  on  a level,  parallel  to  the  surface  of  the  water,  when  the  long 
ventrals  and  high  anal  hang  down  vertically,  and  the  fish  progresses  slowly  by 
the  lateral  beating  of  the  tail.  — L.  A. 


162 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


of  tall,  slender  tree-trunks,  crossing  each  other  at  right 
angles.  Between  these  are  woven  long  palm-leaves,  mak- 
ing an  admirable  thatch,  or  sometimes  the  walls  are  filled 
in  with  mud.  The  roof  overhangs,  covering  the  wide, 
open  porch,  which  extends  the  length  of  one  side  of  the 
house,  and  is  as  deep  as  a good-sized  room  ; it  is  usually  left 
open  on  the  sides  as  well  as  in  front.  Within,  the  rest 
of  the  house  is  divided  off  into  one  or  more  chambers, 
according  to  its  size.  I have  not  penetrated  into  these, 
but  can  bear  testimony  to  the  usual  cleanliness  and  order 
of  the  outer  room.  The  hard  mud-floor  is  neatly  swept, 
there  is  no  litter  about,  and,  except  for  the  mosquitoes, 
I should  think  it  no  hardship  to  sling  my  hammock  for 
the  night  under  the  thatched  roof  of  one  of  these  prim- 
itive veranda-like  apartments.  There  is  one  element 
of  dirt  common  in  the  houses  of  our  own  poor  which  is  ab- 
sent here.  Instead  of  the  mass  of  old  musty  bedding,  a 
nest  for  vermin,  the  Indians  have  their  cool  hammocks, 
slung  from  side  to  side  of  the  room.  One  feature 
in  their  mode  of  building  deserves  to  be  mentioned. 
Owing  to  the  submerged  state  of  the  ground  on  which 
they  live,  the  Indians  often  raise  their  houses  on  piles 
sunk  in  the  water.  Here  we  have  the  old  lacustrine 
buildings,  so  much  discussed  of  late  years,  reproduced 
for  us.  One  even  sees  sometimes  a little  garden  lifted 
in  this  way  above  the  water. 

But  to  return  to  our  walk.  One  of  the  Indians  invited 
us  to  continue  our  ramble  to  his  house,  which  he  said  was 
not  far  beyond,  in  the  forest.  We  readily  complied,  for 
the  path  he  pointed  out  to  us  looked  tempting  in  the 
extreme,  leading  into  the  depth  of  the  wood.  Under 
his  guidance  we  continued  for  some  distance,  every  now 


FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


163 


and  then  crossing  one  of  the  forest  creeks  on  the  logs. 
Seeing  that  I was  rather  timid,  he  cut  for  me  a long  pole, 
with  the  aid  of  which  I felt  quite  brave.  But  at  last  we 
came  to  a place  where  the  water  was  so  deep  that  I could 
not  touch  bottom  with  my  pole,  and  as  the  round  log  on 
which  I was  to  cross  was  rather  rocking  and  unsteady, 
I did  not  dare  to  advance.  I told  him,  in  my  imperfect 
Portuguese,  that  I was  afraid.  “ Nao,  mia  branca  ” (No, 
my  white)  he  said,  reassuringly ; “ nao  tern  medo  ” (don’t 
be  afraid).  Then,  as  if  a thought  struck  him,  he  motioned 
me  to  wait,  and,  going  a few  steps  up  the  creek,  he  unloosed 
his  boat,  brought  it  down  to  the  spot  where  we  stood,  and 
put  us  across  to  the  opposite  shore.  Just  beyond  was  his 
pretty,  picturesque  home,  where  he  showed  me  his  children, 
telling  me  their  ages,  and  introduced  me  to  his  wife.  There 
is  a natural  courtesy  about  these  people  which  is  very  at- 
tractive, and  which  Major  Coutinho,  who  has  lived  among 
them  a great  deal,  tells  me  is  a general  characteristic  of 
the  Amazonian  Indians.  When  we  took  leave  of  them 
and  returned  to  the  canoe,  I supposed  our  guide  would 
simply  put  us  across  to  the  other  shore,  a distance  of  a 
few  feet  only,  as  he  had  done  in  coming.  Instead  of  that 
he  headed  the  canoe  up  the  creek  into  the  wood.  I shall 
never  forget  that  row,  the  more  enchanting  that  it  was 
so  unexpected,  through  the  narrow  water-path,  overarched 
by  a solid  roof  of  verdure,  and  black  with  shadows ; and 
yet  it  was  not  gloomy,  for  outside,  the  sun  was  setting  in 
crimson  and  gold,  and  its  last  beams  struck  in  under  the 
boughs  and  lit  the  interior  of  the  forest  with  a warm  glow. 
Nor  shall  I easily  forget  the  face  of  our  Indian  friend,  who 
had  welcomed  us  so  warm'ly  to  his  home,  and  who  evidently 
enjoyed  our  exclamations  of  delight  and  the  effect  of  the 


164 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


surprise  lie  had  given  us.  The  creek  led  by  a detour  back 
into  the  river,  a few  rods  above  the  landing  where  our 
steamer  lay.  Our  friendly  boatman  left  us  at  the  stair- 
way with  a cordial  good-by,  and  many  thanks  from  us  at 
parting. 

We  left  our  landing  early  this  morning,  and  at  about 
half  past  ten  turned  into  the  main  Amazons.  Thus  far 
we  have  been  in  what  is  called  the  Para  river,  and  the 
branches  connecting  it  with  the  Amazons  proper.  The  pro- 
portions of  everything  in  nature  amaze  one  here,  however 
much  one  may  have  heard  or  read  about  them.  For  two 
days  and  nights  we  have  been  following  the  isle  of  Marajo, 
which,  though  but  an  island  in  the  mouth  of  the  Amazons,, 
is  half  as  large  as  Ireland.  I add  here  a second  letter  from 
Mr.  Agassiz  to  Mr.  Pimenta  Bueno,  giving  a short  summary 
of  his  scientific  progress. 

Mon  cher  Ami: — Je  suis  extenu^  de  fatigue,  mais  je  ne 
veux  pas  aller  me  reposer  avant  de  vous  avoir  dcrit  un 
mot.  Hier  soir  nous  avons  obtenu  vingt-sept  especes  de 
poissons  a Gurupd  et  ce  matin,  cinquante-sept  a Porto  do 
Moz,  en  tout  quatre-vingt-quatre  especes  en  moins  de  douze 
lieures  et,  sur  ce  nombre,  il  y en  a cinquante  et  une  nou- 
velles.  C’est  merveilleux.  Je  ne  puis  plus  mettre  en  ordre 
ce  qu’on  m’apporte  au  fur  et  a mesure  que  cela  arrive  ; et 
quant  a obtenir  des  dessins  colories  du  tout,  il  n’en  est 
plus  question,  a moins  qu’a  notre  retour  nous  ne  passions 
une  semaine  entire  ici. 

Tout  a vous, 

L.  Agassiz.* 

* On  the  Xinqij,  August  23d,  1865. 

My  dear  Friend  : — I am  worn  out  with  fatigue,  but  I will  not  go  to  rest 
before  writing  you  a word.  Yesterday  evening  we  obtained  twenty -seven 


FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


165 


August  23 d.  — Yesterday  morning,  before  reaching  the 
little  town  of  Gurupd,  we  passed  a forest  of  Miriti  palms  ; 
it  is  the  first  time  we  have  seen  a palm  wood  exclusive  of 
v other  trees.  In  the  afternoon  we  stopped  at  Gurupd  and 
went  on  shore  ; but  just  as  we  landed,  a violent  thunder- 
storm burst  upon  us  with  sheets  of  rain,  and  we  saw  little 
of  the  town  except  the  inside  of  the  house  where  we  took 
shelter.  Mr.  Agassiz  obtained  a most  valuable  collection  of 
“ forest  fishes,”  containing  a number  of  new  species ; the 
Indians  enumerate,  however,  some  seventy  distinct  species 
of  forest  fishes  in  this  vicinity,  so  that,  notwithstanding  his 
success,  he  leaves  much  to  be  done  by  those  who  shall  come 
after  him.  We  left  during  the  night,  and  this  morning  we 
entered  the  river  Xingu,  stopping  at  Porto  do  Moz.  The 
water  is  very  blue  and  dark  as  compared  with  the  muddy 
waters  of  the  main  river.  Here  Mr.  Agassiz  found  two 
collections,  one  of  forest  fishes,  the  other  of  river  fishes, 
awaiting  him,  Mr.  Pimenta  Bueno  having  sent  messengers 
by  the  last  steamer  to  a number  of  ports,  desiring  that 
collections  should  be  in  readiness  for  him.  The  harvest 
of  this  morning,  however,  was  such  an  one  as  makes  an  era 
in  the  life  of  a naturalist,  for  it  contained  forty-eight  new 
species,  — more,  Mr.  Agassiz  said,  than  it  had  ever  fallen 
to  his  lot  to  find  in  the  course  of  a single  day.  Ever  since 
we  entered  the  Amazons  the  forest  seems  to  me,  though 
more  luxuriant,  less  sombre  than  it  did  about  Rio.  It 
is  more  transparent  and  more  smiling ; one  sees  into  it, 

species  of  fish  at  Gurupa  and  this  morning  fifty-seven  at  Porto  do  Moz,  — 
eighty -four  species  in  all,  in  less  than  twelve  hours,  and  of  this  number  fifty-one 
are  new.  It  is  wonderful.  I can  no  longer  put  in  order  what  is  brought  to 
me  as  fast  as  it  arrives,  and  as  to  obtaining  colored  drawings  of  all,  it  is  no 
longer  possible,  unless  we  nass  a whole  week  here  on  our  return. 

Wholly  yours,  * 

L Agassiz. 


166 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


and  sees  the  sunshine  glimmering  through  it  and  lighting 
up  its  depths.  The  steamer  has  just  left  behind  the  first 
open  land  we  have  passed,  - — wide,  extensive  flats,  with 
scarcely  a tree,  and  covered  with  thick,  coarse  grass. 

August  Z&h.  — Yesterday  afternoon  we  saw,  on  the 
north  side  of  the  river,  the  first  elevations  of  any  conse- 
quence one  meets  on  the  Amazons,  the  singular  flat-topped 
hills  of  Almeirim.  They  are  cut  off  as  squarely  on  the  top 
as  if  levelled  with  a plane,  and  divided  from  each  other  by 
wide  openings,  the  sides  being  shaved  down  with  the  same 
evenness  as  the  summits.  Much  has  been  said  about  the 
geology  of  these  singular  hills,  but  no  one  has  fairly  investi- 
gated it.  Yon  Martius  landed,  and  ascertained  their  height 
to  be  about  eight  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  river, 
but  beyond  this,  no  one  seems  to  know  anything  of  their 
real  nature.  They  are  generally  represented  as  spurs  of  the 
higher  table-land  of  Guiana.*  Last  evening  was  the  most 
beautiful  we  have  seen  on  the  Amazons.  We  sat  on  the 
front  upper  deck  as  the  crimson  sun  went  down,  his  broad 
red  pathway  across  the  water  followed  presently  by  the 
pale  trembling  line  of  light  from  the  crescent  moon  above. 
After  the  sun  had  vanished,  broad  rays  of  rose-color, 
shooting  almost  to  the  zenith,  still  attested  his  power, 
lending  something  of  their  glow  also  to  a great  mass  of 
white  clouds  in  the  east,  the  reflection  of  which  turned 
the  yellow  waters  of  the  river  to  silver,  while  between 
glory  and  glory  the  deep  blue  sky  of  night  gathered  over 
the  hills  of  Almeirim.  This  morning  at  dawn  we  stopped 
at  the  little  settlement  of  Prainha,  but  did  not  land,  and 
we  are  now  on  our  way  to  Monte  Alegre,  where  we  shall 
pass  a day  and  a half. 

* Representations  of  these  hills  may  be  found  in  the  Atlas  of  Martius  and 
in  Bates’s  “ Naturalist  on  the  Amazons.” 


FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


167 


August  2 5th.  — Monte  Alegre.  We  arrived  before  this 
town,  situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  Amazons,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river  Gurupatuba,  yesterday  at  about  mid- 
day, but  the  heat  was  so  great  that  I did  not  go  on 
shore  till  towards  evening.  The  town  is  situated  on  the 
summit  of  a hill  sloping  rather  steeply  upward  from  the 
shore,  and  it  takes  its  name  from  a mountain  some  four 
leagues  to  the  northwest  of  it.  But  though  the  ground 
is  more  broken  and  various  than  we  have  seen  it  hitherto, 
the  place  does  not  seem  to  me  to  deserve  its  name  of 
Monte  Alegre  (the  gay  mountain).  To  me  the  aspect 
of  the  country  here  is,  on  the  contrary,  rather  sombre ; 
the  soil  consists  everywhere  of  sand,  the  forest  is  low, 
while  here  and  there  intervene  wide,  swampy  flats,  cov- 
ered with  coarse  grass.  The  sand  rests  above  the  same 
reddish  drift,  filled  with  smooth  rounded  quartz  pebbles, 
that  we  have  followed  along  our  whole  road.  Here  and 
there  the  pebbles  are  disposed  in  undulating  lines,  as  if  a 
partial  stratification  had  taken  place  ; and  in  some  localities 
we  saw  indications  of  the  drift  having  been  worked  over 
by  water,  though  not  absolutely  stratified.  Both  at  sunset 
and  sunrise  I took  a walk  to  the  village  churchyard,  which 
commands  the  prettiest  view  in  the  neighborhood.  It  is 
enclosed  in  a picket  fence,  a large  wooden  cross  stands 
in  the  centre,  and  there  are  a few  other  small  crosses 
marking  graves  ; but  the  place  looked  uncared  for,  grown 
over,  wherever  the  sand  was  not  bare,  by  the  same  coarse, 
rank  shrubs  which  spring  up  everywhere  in  this  ungenial 
soil.*  At  a little  distance  from  the  churchyard,  the  hill 

. * Afterwards  I made  a longer  stay  at  Monte  Alegre,  and  learned  to  know  its 
picturesque  nooks  and  dells,  where  a luxuriant  vegetation  is  watered  by  de- 
licious springs.  I feel  that  the  above  description  is  superficial ; hut  I let  it 
remain.,  as  perfectly  true  to  my  first  impressions. 


168 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


slopes  abruptly  down,  and  from  its  brow  one  looks  across 
a wide  plain  covered  with  low  forest,  to  the  mountain  on 
the  other  side,  from  which  the  town  takes  its  name.  Look- 
ing southward,  the  foreground  is  filled  with  lakes  divided 
from  each  other  by  low  alluvial  lands,  forming  the  level 
flats  alluded  to  above.  Though  one  of  the  earliest  settle- 
ments on  the  Amazons,  this  town  is,  by  all  accounts, 
rather  decreasing  than  increasing  in  population.  In  the 
midst  of  its  public  square  stands  what  seems  at  first  to 
be  the  ruin  of  a large  stone  church,  but  which  is,  in  fact, 
the  framework  of  a cathedral  begun  forty  years  ago,  and 
standing  unfinished  to  this  day.  Cows  were  pastured  in 
its  grass-grown  aisles,  and  it  seemed  a rather  sad  memorial, 
bespeaking  a want  of  prosperity  in  the  place.  We  were 
most  kindly  entertained  in  the  house  of  Senhor  Manuel, 
who,  finding  that  the  mosquitoes  were  likely  to  be  very 
thick  on  board  the  steamer,  invited  us  to  pass  the  night 
under  his  roof.  This  morning  we  are  sailing  about  in 
the  neighborhood,  partly  for  the  sake  of  getting  fish,  but 
passing  also  a couple  of  hours  at  a cattle-farm  near  by, 
in  order  to  bring  on  board  a number  of  cows  and  oxen 
for  the  Manaos  market.  It  seems  that  one  of  the  chief 
occupations  here  is  the  raising  of  cattle.  This,  with  the 
sale  of  fish,  cacao,  and  India-rubber,  constitutes  the  com- 
merce of  the  place. 

August  2Qth.  — This  morning  found  us  again  . on  the 
southern  side  of  the  river,  off  Santarem,  at  the  mouth  of  one 
of  the  great  branches  of  the  Amazons,  the  Tapajoz.  Here 
we  leave  a number  of  our  party.  Mr.  Dexter,  Mr.  James, 
and  Mr.  Talisman,  a young  Brazilian  who  joined  our  party 
at  Para,  go  on  a collecting  expedition  up  the  Tapajoz. 
Mr.  Bourget  and  Mr.  Hunnewell  remain  at  Santarem,  the 


FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


169 


former  to  make  collections,  the  latter  to  attend  to  the 
repairs  of  his  photographing  apparatus,  which  has  met 
with  some  disasters.  We  are  all  to  meet  again  at  Manaos 
for  our  farther  voyage  up  to  Tabatinga.*  We  remained 
at  Santarem  only  long  enough  to  see  the  party  fitted  out 
with  a canoe  and  the  necessary  supplies,  and  as  they  put 
off  from  the  steamer  we  weighed  anchor  and  proceeded 
on  our  way,  reserving  our  visit  to  Santarem  for  our  return. 
As  we  left  the  port  the  black  waters  of  the  Tapajoz  met 
the  yellow  stream  of  the  Amazons,  and  the  two  ran  together 
for  a while,  like  the  waters  of  the  Arve  and  Rhone  in 
Switzerland,  meeting  but  not  mingling.  Instead  of  return- 
ing at  once  to  the  main  river,  the  Captain,  who  omits 
nothing  which  can  add  to  the  pleasure  or  the  profit  of  our 
voyage,  put  the  steamer  through  a narrow  channel,  which, 
on  the  Mississippi,  would  be  called  a “ bayou,”  but  goes 
here  by  the  name  of  an  “ Igarape.”  Nothing  could  be 
prettier  than  this  “ Igarape  Assu,”  hardly  more  than  wide 
enough  to  admit  the  steamer,  and  bordered  on  either  side 
by  a thick  wood,  in  which  are  conspicuous  the  Munguba, 

* I soon  became  convinced  after  leaving  Para  that  the  faunae  of  our  different 
stations  were  not  repetitions  of  each  other.  On  the  contrary,  at  Breves,  Taja- 
puru,  Gurupa, — in  short,  at  each  stopping-place,  as  has  been  seen,  — we  found 
another  set  of  inhabitants  in  the  river,  if  not  wholly  different  from  the  last, 
at  least  presenting  so  many  new  species  that  the  combination  was  no  longer 
the  same.  It  became  at  once  very  important  to  ascertain  whether  these  dif- 
ferences were  permanent  and  stationary,  or  were,  in  part  at  least,  an  effect 
of  migration.  I therefore  determined  to  distribute  ,our  forces  in  such  a way  as 
to  keep  collecting  parties  at  distant  points,  and  to  repeat  collections  from  the 
same  localities  at  different  seasons.  I pursued  this  method  of  investigation 
during  our  whole  stay  in  the  Amazons,  dividing  the  party  for  the  first  time  at 
Santarem,  where  Messrs.  Dexter,  James,  and  Talisman  separated  from  us  to 
ascend  the  Tapajoz,  while  Mr.  Bourget  remained  at  Santarem,  a ad  I,  u ith  the 
rest  of  my  companions,  kept  on  to  Obydos  and  Villa  Bella.  — L.  A. 

8 


170 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


with  its  oval,  red  fruit,  the  Imbauba-tree,  neither  so  lofty 
nor  so  regular  in  form  as  about  Rio,  and  the  Taxi,  with  its 
masses  of  white  flowers  and  brown  buds.  For  two  days 
past  we  have  lost  the  palms  in  a great  degree  ; about  Monte 
Alegre  they  were  comparatively  few,  and  here  we  see 
scarcely  any. 

The  shore  between  Santarem  and  Obydos,  where  we 
shall  arrive  this  evening,  seems  more  populous  than  the 
regions  we  have  been  passing  through.  As  we  coast 
along,  keeping  close  to  the  land,  the  scenes  revive  all  our 
early  visions  of  an  ancient  pastoral  life.  Groups  of  Indians 
- — men,  women,  and  children  — greet  us  from  the  shore, 
standing  under  the  overarching  trees,  usually  trained  or 
purposely  chosen  to  form  a kind  of  arbor  over  the  landing- 
place,  — the  invariable  foreground  of  the  picture,  with  the 
“ montaria  ” moored  in  front.  One  or  two  hammocks  are 
often  slung  in  the  trees,  and  between  the  branches  one 
gets  a glimpse  of  the  thatched  roof  and  walls  of  the  little 
straw  cottage  behind.  Perhaps  if  we  were  to  look  a little 
closer  at  these  pictures  of  pastoral  life,  we  should  find  they 
have  a coarse  and  prosaic  side.  But  let  them  stand.  Ar- 
cadia itself  would  not  bear  a too  minute  scrutiny,  nor 
could  it  present  a fairer  aspect  than  do  these  Indian  homes 
on  the  banks  of  the  Amazons.  The  primitive  forest  about 
the  houses  is  usually  cleared,  and  they  stand  in  the  midst 
of  little  plantations  of  the  cacao-tree,  mingled  with  the 
mandioca  shrub,  from  the  roots  of  which  the  Indians 
make  their  flour,  and  occasionally  also  with  the  India- 
rubber-tree,  though,  as  the  latter  grows  plentifully  in  the 
forest,  it  is  not  often  cultivated.  The  cac&o  and  the  India- 
rubber  they  send  to  Para,  in  exchange  for  such  domestic 
goods  as  they  require.  We  have  passed  so  close  to  the 


FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


171 


shore  to-day  that  it  has  been  easy  to  make  geological 
observations  from  the  deck.  For  a considerable  distance 
above  Santarem  we  have  followed  drift  cliffs,  resting  upon 
sandstone  ; the  drift  of  the  same  reddish  color,  and  pasty, 
clayey  consistence,  and  the  sandstone  seemingly  the  same 
in  character,  as  that  of  Monte  Alegre. 

August  27 th.  — Villa  Bella.  Last  evening  we  stopped 
to  wood  at  the  town  of  Obydos,  but  without  landing ; 
keeping  straight  on  to  this  port,  on  the  southern  side  of  the 
river,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Tupinambaranas.  Here  we 
were  very  cordially  received  by  Dr.  Marcus,  an  old  corre- 
spondent of  Mr.  Agassiz,  who  has  several  times  sent  speci- 
mens from  the  Amazons  to  the  Cambridge  Museum.  To- 
night we  are  to  start  in  canoes  on  an  excursion  to  some 
of  the  lakes  in  the  neighborhood  of  this  port. 

August  28th.  — In  the  porch  of  an  Indian  house  on  the 
lake  Jose  Assu.  We  passed  a pleasant  day  yesterday  at 
the  house  of  Dr.  Marcus,  keeping  the  Sabbath  rather  after 
the  Jewish  than  the  Christian  rule,  as  a veritable  day  of 
rest,  lounging  in  hammocks,  and  the  gentlemen  smoking. 
We  returned  to  the  steamer  at  five  o’clock,  intending  to 
start  at  six,  in  order  to  have  the  benefit  of  the  night  fishing, 
said  to  be  always  the  most  successful.  But  a violent  thun- 
der-storm, with  heavy  rain,  lasting  almost  till  midnight, 
delayed  our  departure.  We  loaded  the  boats,  however, 
before  night,  that  we  might  be  ready  to  start  whenever 
the  weather  should  clear.  We  have  two  canoes,  in  one 
of  which  Mr.  Agassiz,  myself,  and  Mr.  Burkhardt  have 
our  quarters,  while  Major  Coutinho,  Dr.  Marcus,  who 
accompanies  us,  and  Mr.  Thayer  occupy  the  other.  The 
former,  which  is  rather  the  larger  of  the  two,  has  a tiny 
cabin  at  one  end,  some  three  feet  high  and  six  feet  long, 


172 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


roofed  in  with  wood  ; the  other  has  also  one  end  covered 
in,  hut  with  thatch  instead  of  wood.  In  the  larger  boat 
we  have  our  luggage,  compressed  to  the  utmost,  the  live 
stock,  — a small  sheep,  a turkey,  and  several  fowls,  — be- 
sides a number  of  barrels  and  kegs,  containing  alcohol,  for 
specimens.  The  Captain  has  supplied  us  not  only  with  all 
the  necessaries,  but,  so  far  as  is  possible,  with  every  luxury, 
for  a week’s  voyage.  All  our  preparations  being  made,  and 
no  prospect  of  clear  weather,  at  nine  o’clock  we  betook  our- 
selves to  our  hammocks,  — or  those  of  us  who  had  stowed 
their  hammocks  out  of  reach,  — to  chairs  and  benches,  and 
had  a broken  sleep  till  three  o’clock.  The  stars  were  then 
shining,  and  everything  looked  fair  for  our  voyage.  The, 
wind  had  gone  down,  the  river  was  smooth  as  glass  when 
we  paddled  away  from  the  side  of  the  steamer,  and, 
though  we  had  no  moon,  one  or  two  planets  threw  a 
bright  reflection  across  the  water  to  cheer  our  way.  After 
keeping  for  some  time  down  the  river,  we  turned,  just  at 
dawn,  into  a very  narrow  channel  leading  through  the 
forest.  It  was  hardly  day,  but  perhaps  the  scene  was 
none  the  less  impressive  for  the  dim  half-light  in  which 
we  saw  it.  From  the  verdant  walls,  which  rose  on  either 
side  and  shut  us  in,  lofty  trees,  clothed  from  base  to  sum- 
mit in  vines,  stood  out  here  and  there  like  huge  green 
columns,  in  bold  relief  against  the  morning  sky  ; hidden 
flowers  filled  the  air  with  fragrance,  great  roots  stretched 
out  into  the  water,  and  now  and  then  a floating  log  narrowed 
the  passage  so  as  just  to  leave  room  for  the  canoe  to  pass. 
After  a while  a broader,  fuller  light  shone  under  the  boughs, 
and  we  issued  from  this  narrow  pathway  into  an  extensive 
lake.  Here  it  was  found  that  the  large  net,  which  was  to 
have  made  a part  of  the  outfit  of  the  canoe,  had  been  left 


FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


173 

behind,  and,  after  calling  at  two  or  three  Indian  houses 
to  see  if  we  could  supply  the  deficiency,  we  were  obliged 
to  send  back  to  Villa  Bella  for  it.  In  the  mean  time 
we  moored  our  boats  at  the  foot  of  a little  hill,  on  which 
stands  an  Indian  house,  where  we  stopped  to  breakfast, 
and  where  we  are  still  waiting  for  the  return  of  our 
messengers.  I must  say,  that  a near  view  of  Arcadia  tends 
to  dispel  illusions ; but  it  should  be  added,  that  this  speci- 
men is  by  no  means  a favorable  one.  The  houses  at  Taja- 
puru  were  far  more  attractive,  and  the  appearance  of  their 
inhabitants  much  neater  and  more  respectable,  than  those 
of.  our  friends  here.  Yet  at  this  moment  the  scene  is 
not  altogether  uninviting.  Some  of  the  party  are  loung- 
ing in  the  hammocks,  which  we  have  slung  under  the 
great  porch,  as  we  are  to  pass  several  hours  here  ; an 
improvised  rustic  table,  consisting  of  a board  resting  on 
forked  sticks,  stands  at  one  side  ; the  boatmen  are  clearing 
away  the  remains  of  our  late  repast ; the  Indian  women, 
dirty,  half  clad,  with  their  hair  hanging  uncombed  around 
their  faces,  are  tending  their  naked  children,  or  kneading 
the  mandioca  in  a huge  trough.  The  men  of  the  house 
have  just  returned  from  fishing,  the  morning  having  been 
more  successful  in  that  respect  than  was  expected,  and 
are  now  fitting  up  a rough  forge,  in  which  they  are  re- 
pairing some  of  their  iron  instruments.  In  the  mean 
time  Science  has  its  sacred  corner,  where  Mr.  Agassiz  is 
investigating  new  species,  the  result  of  the  morning’s  fish- 
ing, while  Mr.  Burkhardt  is  drawing  them. 

August  29th. — Finding  yesterday  that  our  shelter  grew 
more  uncomfortable  as  the  day  wore  on,  and  being  obliged 
to  wait  for  the  night  fishing,  we  determined  to  cross  the 
lake  to  a “ Sitio  ” (as  the  inhabitants  call  their  plantations) 


174 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


on  the  other  side  of  the  lake.  Here  we  found  one  of  the 
better  specimens  of  Indian  houses.  On  one  side  of  the 
house  is  the  open  porch,  quite  gay  at  this  moment  with 
our  brightly  colored  hammocks  ; adjoining  this  is  a large 
chamber,  opening  into  the  porch  by  a wide  straw,  or  rather 
palm-leaf  door ; which  does  not  swing  on  hinges,  however, 
but  is  taken  down  and  put  up  like  a mat.  On  the  other 
side  of  the  room  is  an  unglazed  window,  closed  at  will 
in  the  same  way  by  a palm-leaf  mat.  For  the  present 
this  chamber  is  given  up  to  my  use.  On  the  other  side 
of  the  porch  is  another  veranda-like  room,  also  open  at 
the  sides,  and  apparently  the  working-room  of  the  family ; 
for  here  is  the  great  round  oven,  built  of  mud,  where  the 
farinha  is  dried,  and  the  baskets  of  mandioca-root  are  stand- 
ing ready  to  be  picked  and  grated,  and  here  also  is  the  rough 
log  table  where  we  take  our  meals.  Everything  has  an  air 
of  decency  and  cleanliness  ; the  mud-floors  are  swept,  the 
ground  about  the  house  is  tidy  and  free  from  rubbish,  the 
little  plantation  around  it  of  cacao  and  mandioca,  with  here 
and  there  a coffee-shrub,  is  in  nice  order.  The  house  stands 
on  a slightly  rising  ground,  sloping  gently  upward  from  the 
lake,  and  just  below,  under  some  trees  on  the  shore,  are 
moored  the  Indian’s  “ Montaria”  and  our  two  canoes.  We 
were  received  with  the  most  cordial  friendliness,  the  Indian 
women  gathering  about  me  and  examining,  though  not  in  a 
rough  or  rude  way,  my  dress,  the  net  on  my  hair,  touching 
my  rings  and  watch-chain,  and  evidently  discussing  the 
“ branca  ” between  themselves.  In  the  evening,  after  din- 
ner, I walked  up  and  down  outside  the  house,  enjoying  the 
picturesqueness  of  the  scene.  The  husband  had  just  come 
in  from  the  lake,  and  the  fire  on  the  ground,  over  which  the 
fresh  fish  was  broiling  for  the  supper  of  the  familj , shone 


FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


175 


on  the  figures  of  the  women  and  children  as  they  moved 
about,  and  shed  its  glow  under  the  thatched  roof  of  the 
working-room,  making  its  interior  warm  and  ruddy  ; a 
lantern  in  the  corner  of  the  porch  threw  a dim,  uncertain 
light  over  hammocks  and  half-recumbent  figures,  and  with- 
out, the  moon  shone  over  lake  and  forest.  The  mosquitoes, 
however,  presently  began  to  disturb  the  romance  of  the 
scene,  and,  as  we  were  all  rather  tired  from  our  broken 
rest  the  night  before,  we  retired  early.  My  own  sleep, 
under  an  excellent  mosquito-net,  was  very  quiet  and 
refreshing,  but  there  were  some  of  the  party  who  had 
not  provided  themselves  with  this  indispensable  accompa- 
niment of  a hammock,  and  they  passed  the  night  in 
misery,  affording  a repast  to  the  voracious  hordes  buzzing 
about  them.  I was  awakened  shortly  after  daylight  by 
the  Indian  women,  bringing  me  a bouquet  of  roses  and 
jessamine  from  the  vines  which  grew  about  the  cottage, 
and  wishing  me  good  morning.  After  such  a kindly  greet- 
ing, I could  not  refuse  them  the  pleasure  of  assisting  at  my 
toilet,  of  watching  the  opening  of  my  valise,  and  handling 
every  article  as  it  came  out. 

The  night  fishing  was  unfavorable,  but  this  morning  the 
fishermen  have  brought  in  new  species  enough  to  keep 
Mr.  Agassiz  and  his  artist  busy  for  many  hours,  so  that 
we  are  likely  to  pass  another  night  among  these  hospitable 
people.  I must  say  that  the  primitive  life  of  the  better 
class  of  Indians  on  the  Amazons  is  much  more  attractive 
than  the  so-called  civilized  life  in  the  white  settlements. 
Anything  more  bald,  dreary,  and  uninviting  than  life  in  the 
Amazonian  towns,  with  an  attempt  at  the  conventionalisms 
of  civilization,  but  without  one  of  its  graces,  I can  hardly 
conceive.  This  morning  my  Indian  frie;ids  have  been 


176 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


showing  me  the  various  processes  to  which  the  Mandioca 
is  subjected.  This  plant  is  invaluable  to  these  people.  It 
gives  them  their  farinha,  — a coarse  kind  of  flour,  their  only 
substitute  for  bread,  — their  tapioca,  and  also  a kind  of 
fermented  juice  called  tucupi,  — a more  questionable  bless- 
ing, perhaps,  since  it  affords  them  the  means  of  getting 
intoxicated.  After  being  peeled,  the  roots  of  the  mandioca 
are  scraped  on  a very  coarse  grater  ; in  this  condition  they 
make  a moist  kind  of  paste,  which  is  then  packed  in  elastic 
straw  tubes,  made  of  the  fibres  of  the  Jacitara  Palm  (Des- 
monclius).  When  her  tube,  which  has  always  a loop  at 
either  end,  is  full,  the  Indian  woman  hangs  it  on  the 
branch  of  a tree ; she  then  passes  a pole  through  the  lower 
loop  and  into  a hole  in  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  and,  sitting 
down  on  the  other  end  of  the  pole,  she  thus  transforms  it 
into  a primitive  kind  of  lever,  drawing  out  the  tube  to  its 
utmost  length  by  the  pressure  of  her  own  weight.  The 
juice  is  thus  expressed,  flowing  into  a bowl  placed  under 
the  tube.  This  juice  is  poisonous  at  first,  but  after  being 
fermented  becomes  quite  harmless,  and  is  then  used  for 
the  tucupi.  The  tapioca  is  made  by  mixing  the  grated 
mandioca  with  water.  It  is  then  pressed  on  a sieve,  and 
the  fluid  which  flows  out  is  left  to  stand.  It  soon  makes 
a deposit  like  starch,  and  when  hardened  they  make  it 
into  a kind  of  porridge.  It  is  a favorite  article  of  food 
with  them. 

August  30 th.  — As  time  goes  on,  we  grow  more  at  home 
with  our  rustic  friends  here,  and  begin  to  understand  their 
relations  to  each  other.  The  name  of  our  host  is  Laudi- 
g&ri  (I  spell  the  name  as  it  sounds),  and  that  of  his  wife 
Esperanga.  He,  like  all  the  Indians  living  upon  the  Ama- 
zons, is  a fisherman,  and,  with  the  exception  of  such  little 


FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


177 


care  as  Iris  small  plantation  requires,  this  is  his  only  occupa- 
tion. An  Indian  is  never  seen  to  do  any  of  the  work  of  the 
house,  not  even  to  bring  wood  or  water  or  lift  the  heavy 
burdens,  and  as  the  fishing  is  done  chiefly  at  certain  seasons, 
he  is  a very  idle  fellow  for  a great  part  of  the  time.  The 
women  are  said,  on  the  contrary,  to  be  very  industrious ; and 
certainly  those  whom  we  have  an  opportunity  of  seeing  here 
justify  this  reputation.  Esperanqa  is  always  busy  at  some 
household  work  or  other,  — grating  mandioca,  drying  farin- 
lia,  packing  tobacco,  cooking  or  sweeping.  Her  children  are 
active  and  obedient,  the  older  ones  making  themselves  use- 
ful in  bringing  water  from  the  lake,  in  washing  the  mandi- 
oca, or  in  taking  care  of  the  younger  ones.  Esperan^a  can 
hardly  be  called  pretty,  but  she  has  a pleasant  smile  and  a 
remarkably  sweet  voice,  with  a kind  of  child-like  intonation, 
which  is  very  winning ; and  when  sometimes,  after  her  work 
is  over,  she  puts  on  her  white  chemise,  falling  loose  from 
her  brown  shoulders,  her  dark  skirt,  and  a rose  or  a sprig 
of  white  jessamine  in  her  jetty  hair,  she  is  by  no  means 
unattractive  in  her  personal  appearance,  though  I must 
confess  that  the  pipe  which  she  is  apt  to  smoke  in  the 
evening  injures  the  general  effect.  Her  husband  looks 
somewhat  sombre  ; but  his  hearty  laugh  occasionally,  and 
his  enjoyment  of  the  glass  of  cachaca  which  rewards  him 
when  he  brings  in  a new  lot  of  specimens,  shows  that  he 
has  his  bright  side.  He  is  greatly  amused  at  the  value 
Mr.  Agassiz  attaches  to  the  fishes,  especially  the  little 
ones,  which  appear  to  him  only  fit  to  throw  away.  It 
seems  that  the  other  family  who  have  been  about  here 
since  our  arrival  are  neighbors,  who  have  come  in  to  help 
in  the  making  of  mandioca.  They  come  in  the  morning 
with  all  their  children  and  remain  through  the  day.  The 
8* 


L 


178 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


names  of  tlie  father  and  mother  are  Pedro  Manuel  and 
Michelina.  He  is  a tall,  handsome  fellow,  whose  chief 
occupation  seems  to  be  that  of  standing  about  in  pictu- 
resque attitudes,  and  watching  his  rather  pretty  wife,  as 
she  bustles  round  in  her  various  work  of  grating  or 
pressing  or  straining  the  mandioca,  generally  with  her 
baby  astride  on  her  hip,  — the  Indian  woman’s  favorite  way 
of  carrying  her  child.  Occasionally,  however,  Pedro  Man- 
uel is  aroused  to  bear  some  part  in  the  collecting ; and  the 
other  day,  when  he  brought  in  some  specimens  which  seemed 
to  him  quite  valueless,  Mr.  Agassiz  rewarded  him  with  a 
chicken.  His  surprise  and  delight  were  great,  perhaps  a 
little  mingled  with  contempt  for  the  man  who  would  barter 
a chicken  for  a few  worthless  fishes,  fit  only  to  throw  into 
the  river. 

Last  evening,  with  some  difficulty,  we  induced  Laudigari 
to  play  for  us  on  a rough  kind  of  lute  or  guitar,  — a favorite 
instrument  with  the  country  people,  and  used  by  them 
as  an  accompaniment  for  dancing.  When  we  had  him 
fairly  en  train  with  the  music,  we  persuaded  Esperan§a 
and  Michelina  to  show  us  some  of  their  dances  ; not 
without  reluctance,  and  with  an  embarrassment  which 
savored  somewhat  of  the  self-consciousness  of  civilized  life, 
they  stood  up  with  two  of  our  boatmen.  The  dance  is 
very  peculiar  ; so  languid  that  it  hardly  deserves  the  name. 
There  is  almost  no  movement  of  the  body  ; they  lift  the  ; 
arms,  but  in  an  angular  position  with  no  freedom  of  motion, 
snapping  the  fingers  like  castanets  in  time  to  the  music,  j 

and  they  seem  rather  like  statues  gliding  from  place  to  j; 

place  than  like  dancers.  This  is  especially  true  of  the 
women,  who  are  still  more  quiet  than  the  men.  One  of 
the  boatmen  was  a Bolivian,  a finely  formed,  picturesque- 


FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


179 


Esperan^a’s  Cottage. 

aperture  for  the  head  to  pass  through.  It  is  belted 
around  the  waist,  leaving  the  sides  open  so  that  the  legs 
and  arms  are  perfectly  free.  The  straight  folds  of  his 
heavy  white  drapery  gave  a sort  of  statuesque  look  to 
our  Bolivian  as  he  moved  slowly  about  in  the  dance. 
After  it  was  over,  Esperanca  and  the  others  urged  me  to 
show  them  the  dance  66  of  my  country,”  as  they  said,  and 


looking  man,  whose  singular  dress  heightened  the  effect 
of  his  peculiar  movements.  The  Bolivian  Indians  wear 
a kind  of  toga  ; at  least  I do  not  know  how  otherwise 
to  designate  their  long  straight  robe  of  heavy  twilled 
cotton  cloth.  It  consists  of  two  pieces,  hanging  before 
and  behind,  fastened  on  the  shoulder  ; leaving  only  ar 


180 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


my  young  friend  R and  I waltzed  for  them,  to  their 

great  delight.  It  seemed  to  me  like  a strange  dream. 
The  bright  fire  danced  with  us,  flickering  in  under  the 
porch,  fitfully  lighting  its  picturesque  interior  and  the 
group  of  wondering  Indians  around  us,  who  encouraged 
us  every  now  and  then  with  a “ Muito  bonito,  mia  branca, 
muito  bonito  ” (Very  pretty,  my  white,  very  pretty).  Our 
ball  kept  up  very  late,  and  after  I had  gone  to  my  ham- 
mock I still  heard,  between  waking  and  sleeping,  the  plain- 
tive chords  of  the  guitar,  mingling  with  the  melancholy 
note  of  a kind  of  whippoorwill,  who  sings  in  the  woods  all 
night.  This  morning  the  forest  is  noisy  with  the  howling 
monkeys.  They  sound  very  near  and  very  numerous  ; but 
we  are  told  that  they  are  deep  in  the  forest,  and  would 
disappear  at  the  slightest  approach. 

September  1st.  — Yesterday  morning  we  bade  our  friendly 
hosts  good-by,  leaving  their  pretty  picturesque  home  with 
real  regret.  The  night  before  we  left,  they  got  together 
some  of  their  neighbors  in  our  honor,  and  renewed  the 
ball  of  the  previous  evening.  Like  things  of  the  same 
kind  in  other  classes,  the  second  occasion,  got  up  with  a 
little  more  preparation  than  the  first,  which  was  wholly 
impromptu,  was  neither  so  gay  nor  so  pretty.  Frequent 
potations  of  caclia$a  made  the  guests  rather  noisy,  and 
their  dancing,  under  this  influence,  became  far  more  ani- 
mated, and  by  no  means  so  serious  and  dignified  as  the 
evening  before.  One  thing  which  occurred  early  in  the 
entertainment,  however,  was  interesting,  as  showing  some- 
thing of  their  religious  observances.  In  the  morning  Es- 
peran§a’s  mother,  a hideous  old  Indian  woman,  had  come 
into  my  room  to  make  me  a visit.  Before  leaving,  I was 
rather  surprised  to  see  her  kneel  down  by  a little  trunk 


FROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


181 


in  tlie  corner,  and,  opening  the  lid  slightly,  throw  in  re- 
peated kisses,  touching  her  lips  to  her  fingers  and  making 
gestures  as  if  she  dropped  the  kisses  into  the  trunk,  crossing 
herself  at  intervals  as  she  did  so.  In  the  evening  she  was 
again  at  the  dance,  and,  with  the  other  two  women,  went 
through  with  a sort  of  religious  dance,  chanting  the  while, 
and  carrying  in  their  hands  a carved  arch  of  wood  which 
they  waved  to  and  fro  in  time  to  the  chant.  When  I asked 
Esperan^a  the  meaning  of  this,  she  told  me  that,  though 
they  went  to  the  neighboring  town  of  Villa  Bella  for  the 
great  fete  of  our  Lady  of  Nazareth,  they  kept  it  also 
at  home  on  their  return,  and  this  was  a part  of  their 
ceremonies.  And  then  she  asked  me  to  come  in  with 
her,  and,  leading  the  way  to  my  room,  introduced  me  to 
the  contents  of  the  precious  trunk  ; there  was  our  Lady  of 
Nazareth,  a common  coarse  print,  framed  in  wood,  one  or 
two  other  smaller  colored  prints  and  a few  candles ; over  the 
whole  was  thrown  a blue  gauze.  It  was  the  family  chapel, 
and  she  showed  me  all  the  things,  taking  them  up  one  by 
one  with  a kind  of  tender,  joyful  reverence,  only  made  the 
more  touching  by  their  want  of  any  material  value. 

We  are  now  at  another  Indian  house  on  the  bank  of  an 
arm  of  the  river  Ramos,  connecting  the  Amazons,  through 
the  Mauhes,  with  the  Madeira.  Our  two  hours’  canoe-jour- 
ney yesterday,  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  was  somewhat  hot 
and  wearisome,  though  part  of  it  lay  through  one  of  the 
shady  narrow  channels  I have  described  before.  The  In- 
dians have  a pretty  name  for  these  channels  in  the  forest ; 
they  call  them  Igarapds,  that  is,  boat-paths,  and  they  literally 
are  in  many  places  just  wide  enough  for  the  canoe.  At 
about  four  o’clock  we  arrived  at  our  present  lodging,  which 
is  by  no  means  so  pretty  as  the  one  we  have  left,  though  it 


182 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


stands,  like  that,  on  the  slope  of  a hill  just  above  the  shore, 
with  the  forest  about  it.  But  it  lacks  the  wide  porch  and 
the  open  working-room  which  made  the  other  house  so 
picturesque.  Mosquitoes  are  plentiful,  and  at  nightfall 
the  house  is  closed  and  a pan  of  turf  burned  before  the 
door  to  drive  them  away.  Our  host  and  hostess,  by  name 
Josd  Antonio  Maia  and  Maria  Joanna  Maia,  do  what  they 
can,  however,  to  make  us  comfortable,  and  the  children  as 
well  as  the  parents  show  that  natural  courtesy  which  has 
struck  us  so  much  among  these  Indians.  The  children  are 
constantly  bringing  me  flowers  and  such  little  gifts  as  they 
have  it  in  their  power  to  bestow,  especially  the  painted  cups 
which  the  Indians  make  from  the  fruit  of  the  Crescentia,  and 
use  as  drinking-cups,  basins,  and  the  like.  One  sees  num- 
bers of  them  in  all  the  Indian  houses  along  the  Amazons.- 
My  books  and  writing  seem  to  interest  them  very  much,  and 
while  I was  reading  at  the  window  of  my  room  this  morning, 
the  father  and  mother  came  up,  and,  after  watching  me  a 
few  minutes  in  silence,  the  father  asked  me,  if  I had  any 
leaves  out  of  some  old  book  which  was  useless  to  me,  or 
even  a part  of  any  old  newspaper,  to  leave  it  with  him  when 
I went  away.  Once,  he  said,  he  had  known  how  to  read  a 
little,  and  he  seemed  to  think  if  he  had  something  to  prac- 
tise upon,  he  might  recover  the  lost  art.  His  face  fell  when 
I told  him  all  my  books  were  English : it  was  a bucket 
of  cold  water  to  his  literary  ambition.  Then  he  added, 
that  one  of  his  little  boys  was  very  bright,  and  he  was 
sure  he  could  learn,  if  he  had  the  means  of  sending  him 
to  school.  When  I told  him  that  I lived  in  a country 
where  a good  education  was  freely  given  to  the  child  of 
every  poor  man,  he  said  if  the  u branca  ” did  not  live  so 
far  away,  he  would  ask  her  to  take  his  daughter  with  her, 


fROM  PARA  TO  MANAOS. 


183 


and  for  her.  services  to  have  her  taught  to  read  and  write. 
The'  man  has  a bright,  intelligent  face,  and  speaks  with 
genuine  feeling  of  his  desire  to  give  an  education  to  his 
children.  . 

September  3 d. — Yesterday  we  started  on  our  return, 
and  after  a warm  and  wearisome  row  of  four  hours  reached 
our  steamer  at  five  o’clock  in  the  afternoon.  The  scien- 
tific results  of  this  expedition  have  been  most  satisfactory. 
The  collections,  differing  greatly  from  each  other  in  char- 
acter, are  very  large  from  both  our  stations,  and  Mr. 
Burkhardt  has  been  indefatigable  in  making  colored  draw- 
ings of  the  specimens  while  their  tints  were  yet  fresh. 
This  is  no  easy  task,  for  the  mosquitoes  buzz  about  him 
and  sometimes  make  work  almost  intolerable.  This  morn- 
ing Maia  brought  in  a superb  Pirarara  (fish  parrot).  This 
fish  is  already  well  known  to  science  ; it  is  a heavy,  broad- 
headed hornpout,  with  a bony  shield  over  the  whole  head ; 
its  general  color  is  jet  black,  but  it  has  bright  yellow  sides, 
deepening  into  orange  here  and  there.  Its  systematic  name 
is  Phractocephalus  bicolor.  The  yellow  fat  of  this  fish  has 
a curious  property  ; the  Indians  tell  us  that  when  parrots 
are  fed  upon  it  they  become  tinged  with  yellow,  and  they 
often  use  it  to  render  their  “ papagaios”  more  variegated.* 

* I was  especially  interested  in  seeing  living  Gymnotini.  I do  not  here 
allude  to  the  electric  Gymnotus,  already  so  fully  described  by  Humboldt  that 
nothing  remains  to  be  said  about  it ; but  to  the  smaller  representatives  of  that 
curious  family,  known  as  Carapus,  Sternopygus,  Sternarchus  and  Rhamphich- 
thys.  The  Carapus,  called  Sarapos  throughout  Brazil,  are  very  numerous, 
and  the  most  lively  of  the  whole  group.  Their  motions  are  winding  and 
rapid  like  those  of  the  Eel,  but  yet  different,  inasmuch  as  they  do  not  glide 
quickly  forward,  but,  like  Cobitis  and  Petromyzon,  turn  frequent  somersets  and 
change  their  direction  constantly.  This  is  also  the  case  with  the  Sternopygus 
and  Sternarchus,  and  even  the  larger  and  more  slender  Rhamphiehthys  have  a 
kind  of  rolling  motion.  Though  I had  expected  to  find  many  Cyprinodonts, 


184 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


During  our  absence  tlie  commander  of  our  steamer, 
Captain  Anacleto,  and  one  or  two  gentlemen  of  the  town, 
among  others  Senlior  Augustinho,  and  also  Father  Torquato, 
whose  name  occurs  often  in  Bates’s  work  on  the  Amazons, 
have  been  making  a collection  of  river  fishes,  in  which  Mr. 
Agassiz  finds  some  fifty  new  species.  Thus  the  harvest  of 
the  week  has  been  a rich  one.  To-day  we  are  on  our  way 
to  Manaos,  where  we  expect  to  arrive  in  the  course  of  to- 
morrow. 

yet  their  great  variety  astonished  me,  and  still  more  was  I struck  by  their 
resemblance  to  Melanura,  Umbra,  and  the  Erythrinoids.  The  presence  of 
Belone  and  allied  forms  also  surprised  me.  Our  stay  on  the  shores  of  Jose 
Assu  and  Lago  Maximo  was  particularly  instructive  on  account  of  the  nu- 
merous specimens  of  each  species  daily  brought  in  by  Laudigari  and  Maia. 
It  afforded  me  a welcome  opportunity  for  studying  the  differences  exhibited 
by  these  fishes  at  different  periods  of  life.  No  type  passes,  in  that  respect, 
through  greater  changes  than  the  Chromides,  and  among  them  the  genus 
Cychla  is  perhaps  the  most  variable.  I am  sure  that  no  ichthyologist  could 
at  first  sight  believe  that  their  young  are  really  the  early  stage  of  the  forms 
known  in  our  ichthyological  works  as  Cj^chla  monocolus,  Cychla  temensis,  and 
Cychla  saxatilis.  The  males  and  females  also  vary  greatly  during  the  spawning 
season,  and  the  hump  on  the  top  of  the  head  described  as  a specific  character 
in  Cychla  nigro-maculata  is  a protuberance  only  found  in  the  male,  swelling 
during  the  period  of  spawning  and  soon  disappearing.  Once  familiar  with  the 
young  brood  of  some  species  of  Chromides,  it  became  easy  for  me  to  distinguish 
a great  variety  of  small  types,  no  doubt  hitherto  overlooked  by  naturalists  trav- 
elling in  this  region,  simply  under  the  impression  that  they  must  be  the  young 
of  larger  species.  A similar  investigation  of  the  young  of  Serrasalmo, 
Myletes,  Tctragonopterus,  Cynodon,  Anodus,  &c.  led  me  to  the  discovery 
of  an  equally  large  number  of  diminutive  types  of  Characines,  many  of  which, 
when  full  grown,  do  not  exceed  one  inch  in  length  ; among  them  are  some  of 
the  most  beautiful  fishes  I have  ever  seen,  so  far  as  the  brilliancy  and  variety 
of  their  colors  are  concerned.  Thus  everything  contributed  to  swell  the  collec- 
tions, — the  localities  selected  as  'well  as  the  mode  of  investigating.  I should 
add  here,  that,  several  years  before  my  own  journey  on  the  Amazons,  I had 
been  indebted  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Eletcher  for  a valuable  collection  of  fishes  from 
this  and  other  Amazonian  localities.  The  familiarity  thus  obtained  with  them 
was  very  useful  to  me  in  pursuing  my  studies  on  the  spot.  — L.  A. 


LIFE  AT  MANAOS. 


185 


CHAPTER  VI. 

LIFE  AT  MANAOS.  — VOYAGE  FROM  MANAOS  TO  TABATINGA. 

Arrival  at  Manaos.  — Meeting  of  the  Solimoens  with  the  Rio  Negro.  — 
Domesticated  at  Manaos.  — Return  of  Party  from  the  Tapajoz.  — 
Generosity  of  Government.  — Walks.  — Water-Carriers.  — Indian 
School.  — Leave  Manaos.  — Life  on  board  the  Steamer.  — Barreira 
DAS  CUDAJAS.  — CoARI.  — WOODING.  — APPEARANCE  OF  BANKS.  — GEOLOGI- 
CAL Constitution.  — Forest.  — Sumaumeira-Tree. — Arrow-Grass.  — Red 
Drift  Cliffs.  — Sand-Beaches.  — Indian  Huts.  — Turtle- Hunting.  — 
Drying  Fish.  — Teffe.  — Doubts  about  the  Journey.  — Unexpected  Ad- 
viser. — Fonte  Boa.  — Geological  Character  of  Banks.  — Lakes.  — 
Flocks  of  Water  Birds.  — Tonantins.  — Picturesque  Grouping  of  In- 
dians. — San  Paolo.  — Land-Slides.  — Character  of  Scenery.  — Scanty 
Population.  — Animal  Life.  — Tabatinga.  — Aspect  of  the  Settle- 
ment. — Mosquitoes.  — Leave  one  of  the  Party  to  make  Collections.  — 
On  our  Way  down  the  River.  — Party  to  the  Rivers  I^a  and  Hyutahy. 
— Aground  in  the  Amazons.  — Arrival  at  Teffe. 

September  5th.  — Manaos.  Yesterday  morning  we  entered 
the  Rio  Negro  and  saw  the  meeting  of  its  calm,  black  waters 
with  the  rushing  yellow  current  of  the  Amazons,  or  the 
Solimoens,  as  the  Upper  Amazon  is  called.  They  are  well 
named  by  the  Indians  the  “ living  and  the  dead  river,”  for 
the  Solimoens  pours  itself  down  upon  the  dark  stream  of 
the  Rio  Negro  with  such  a vital,  resistless  force,  that  the 
latter  does  indeed  seem  like  a lifeless  thing  by  its  side. 
It  is  true,  that  at  this  season,  when  the  water  in  both 
the  rivers  is  beginning  to  subside,  the  Rio  Negro  seems 
to  offer  some  slight  resistance  to  the  stronger  river  ; it 
struggles  for  a moment  with  the  impetuous  flood  which 
overmasters  it,  and,  though  crowded  up  against  the  shore, 
continues  its  course  for  a little  distance  side  by  side  with 
the  Solimoens.  But  at  the  season  when  the  waters  are 
highest,  the  latter  closes  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Negro  so 


186 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


completely  that  not  a drop  of  its  inky  stream  is  seen  to 
mingle  with  the  yellow  waters  outside.  It  is  supposed 
that  at  this  season  the  Rio  Negro  sinks  at  once  under 
the  Solimoens  ; at  all  events,  the  latter  flows  across  its 
mouth,  seeming  to  bar  it  completely.  It  must  not  be 
supposed,  from  the  change  of  name,  that  the  Solimoens 
is  anything  more  than  the  continuation  of  the  Amazons ; 
just  as  the  so-called  river  Maranon  is  its  continuation 
above  Nauta,  after  crossing  the  Brazilian  frontier.  It  is 
always  the  same  gigantic  stream,  traversing  the  continent 
for  its  whole  breadth  ; but  it  has  received  in  its  lower, 
middle,  and  upper  course  the  three  local  names  of  the 
Amazons,  the  Solimoens,  and  the  Maranon.  At  the  point 
where  the  Brazilians  give  it  the  name  of  Solimoens  it 
takes  a sudden  turn  to  the  south,  just  where  the  Rio  Ne- 
gro enters  it  from  the  north,  so  that  the  two  form  a sharp 
angle. 

We  landed  at  Manaos  and  went  at  once  to  the  house 
which  Major  Coutinho,  with  his  usual  foresight,  has  pro- 
vided for  us.  As  the  day  of  our  arrival  was  uncertain, 
the  arrangements  were  not  completed,  and  the  house  was 
entirely  empty  when  we  entered  it.  In  about  ten  minutes, 
however,  chairs  and  tables  — brought,  I believe,  from  the 
house  of  a friend — made  their  appearance,  the  rooms  were 
promptly  furnished,  and  presently  assumed  a very  cosey  and 
comfortable  look,  notwithstanding  their  brick  floors  and  bare 
walls.  We  have  some  pleasant  neighbors  in  a family  living 
almost  next  door  to  us,  old  and  intimate  friends  of  Major 
Coutinho,  who  receive  us  for  his  sake  as  if  we  also  had 
a claim  on  their  affection.  Here  we  rest  from  our  wander- 
ings, for  a week  at  least,  until  the  steamer  sails  for  Taba- 
tinga. 


LIFE  AT  MANAOS. 


187 


September  9 th.  — We  have  passed  such  quiet  days  here,  so 
far  as  any  variety  of  incident  is  concerned,  that  there  is  little 
to  record.  Work  has  gone  on  as  usual ; the  whole  collec- 
tion of  fishes,  made  since  we  left  Para,  has  been  so  re- 
packed as  to  leave  it  in  readiness  to  be  shipped  for  that  port. 
Our  companions  have  rejoined  us  on  their  return  from  the 
Tapajoz,  bringing  with  them  considerable  collections  from 
that  river  also.  They  seem  to  have  enjoyed  their  excursion 
greatly,  and  describe  the  river  as  scarcely  inferior  to  the 
Amazons  itself  in  breadth  and  grandeur,  having  wide  sand- 
beaches  where  the  waves  roll  in,  when  the  wind  is  high, 
almost  as  upon  a sea-shore.  Mr.  Agassiz  has  done  nothing 
in  the  way  of  collecting  here,  with  the  exception  of  securing 
such  fishes  as  are  to  be  had  in  the  immediate  neighborhood ; 
he  reserves  his  voyage  on  the  Bio  Negro  for  our  return. 
And,  by  the  way,  we  are  met  here  by  another  practical 
evidence  of  the  good-will  of  the  Brazilian  government. 
On  leaving  Bio,  the  Emperor  had  offered  Mr.  Agassiz  the 
use  of  a small  government  steamer  to  make  explorations 
on  the  Negro  and  Madeira  rivers.  On  our  arrival  at  Para 
he  was  told  that  the  steamer  had  been  found  to  be  so  much 
out  of  repair  that  she  was  considered  unsafe.  Under  these 
circumstances,  he  supposed  that  we  should  be  obliged  to 
resort  to  the  small  boats  generally  used.  But  to-day  an 
official  communication  informs  him  that,  as  the  Piraja  is 
found  not  to  be  serviceable,  another  steamer  will  be  fur- 
nished, which  will  meet  us  at  Manaos  on  our  return  from 
the  Upper  Amazons.  The  following  letter,  acknowledging 
this  favor,  to  the  President  of  Par&,  through  whom  it  was 
received,  contains  some  account  of  the  scientific  results  thus 
far,  and  may  not  be  uninteresting. 


188 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Manaos,  8 Septembre,  1865. 

A Son  Excdler  ce  M.  Couto  de  Magolhaes , President  du  Para. 

Mon  cher  Monsieur: — Je  vous  remercie  infiniment  de 
Paimable  lettre  que  vous  avez  eu  la  bonte  de  m’ecrire  la 
semaine  derni^re  et  je  m’empresse  de  vous  faire  part  des 
succ^s  extraordinaires  qui  continuent  a couronner  nos  ef- 
forts. II  est  certain  d£s-a-pr6sent  qne  le  nombre  des  poissons 
qui  peuplent  l’Amazone  excede  de  beaucoup  tout  ce  que 
l’on  avait  imaging  jusqu’ici  et  que  leur  distribution  est 
tr£s  limitee  en  totality,  bien  qu’il  j ait  un  petit  nombre 
d’especes  qui  nous  suivent  depuis  Pard  et  d’autres  pour 
une  etendue  plus  ou  moins  considerable.  Yous  vous  rap- 
pelez  peut-etre  qu’en  faisant  allusion  a mes  esperances  je 
vous  dis  un  jour  que  je  croyais  a la  possibility  de  trouver 
deux  cent  cinquante  a trois  cents  esp^ces  de  poissons  dans 
tout  le  bassin  de  l’Amazone  ; et  bien  aujourd’lnii,  merne 
avant  d’avoir  franchi  le  tiers  du  cours  principal  du 
fleuve  et  remonte  par  ci  par  la  seulement  quelques  lieues 
au  dela  de  ses  bords  j’en  ai  deja  obtenu  plus  de  trois 
cents.  C’est  inoui ; surtout  si  l’on  considere  que  le 

nombre  total  connu  des  naturalistes  ne  va  pas  au  tiers 
de  ce  que  j’ai  deja  recueilli.  Ce  resultat  laisse  a peine 
entrevoir  ce  qu’on-  decouvrira  un  jour  lorsqu’on  explorera 
avec  le  meme  soin  tous  les  affluents  du  grand  fleuve. 
Ce  serait  une  entreprise  digne  de  vous  de  faire  explorer 
l’Araguay  dans  tout  son  cours  pour  nous  apprendre  com- 
bien  d’assemblages  differents  d’especes  distinctes  se  ren- 
contrent  successivement  depuis  ses  sources  jusqu’a  sa 
jonction  avec  le  Tocantins  et  plus  bas  jusqu’a  l’Amazone 
Yous  avez  deja  une  sorte  de  propriety  scientifique  sur  ce 
fleuve  a laquelle  vous  ajouteriez  de  nouveaux  droits  en 
fournissant  a la  science  ces  renseignements. 


LIFE  AT  MANAOS. 


189 


Permettez  moi  de  vous  exprimer  toute  ma  gratitude  pour 
Pinteret  que  vous  prenez  h,  mon  jeune  compagnon  de  voyage. 
M.  Ward  le  m^rite  ^galement  par  sa  grande  jeunesse,  son 
courage  et  son  d^vouement  h,  la  science.  M.  Epaminondas 
vient  de  me  faire  part  de  vos  g&iereuses  intentions  & mon 
6gard  et  de  me  dire  que  vous  vous  proposez  d’expedier  un 
vapeur  a Manaos  pour  prendre  la  place  du  Piraja  et  faciliter 
notre  exploration  du  Rio  Negro  et  du  Rio  Madeira.  Je  ne 
sais  trop  comment  vous  remercier  pour  une  pareille  faveur ; 
tout  ce  que  je  puis  vous  dire  d$s-a-pr6sent  c’est  que  cette 
faveur  me  permettra  de  faire  une  exploration  de  ces  fleuves 
qui  me  serait  impossible  sans  cela.  Et  si  le  resultat  de  ces 
recherches  est  aussi  favorable  que  je  l’attends,  l’honneur 
en  reviendra  avant  tout  a la  liberalite  du  gouvernement 
Bresilien.  Entraine  par  les  resultats  que  j’ai  obtenus 
jusqu’ici,  je  pense  que  si  les  circonstances  nous  sont  favo- 
rables  en  arrivant  a Tabatinga,  nous  ferons  une  poussde 
jusque  dans  la  partie  inf^rieure  du  Perou*  tandis  que  mes 
compagnons  exploreront  les  fleuves  intermediaires  entre  cette 
ville  et  Teffe  ; en  sorte  que  nous  ne  serons  probablement 
pas  de  retour  a Manaos  avant  la  fin  du  mois  d’Octobre. 

Agreez,  mon  clier  Monsieur,  Passurance  de  ma  haute  con- 
sideration et  de  mon  par  fait  d^vouement. 

L.  Agassiz. f 

* As  will  be  seen  hereafter,  want  of  time  and  the  engrossing  character  of 
his  work  in  the  Amazons,  compelled  Mr.  Agassiz  to  renounce  the  journey  into 
Peru,  as  also  the  ascent  of  the  river  Madeira. 

f To  His  Excellency  M.  Couto  de  Magalhaes,  President  of  Para. 

My  dear  Sir  : — I thank  you  sincerely  for  the  kind  letter  you  were  so  good 
as  to  write  me  last  week,  and  I hasten  to  inform  you  of  the  extraordinary 
success  which  continues  to  crown  our  efforts.  It  is  certain  from  this  time  forth, 
that  the  number  of  fishes  inhabiting  the  Amazons  greatly  exceeds  all  that  has 
hitherto  been  imagined,  and  that  their  distribution  is  very  limited  on  the  whole, 


190 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


There  is  little  to  be  said  of  the  town  of  Manaos.  It  con- 
sists of  a small  collection  of  houses,  half  of  which  seem 
going  to  decay,  and  indeed  one  can  hardly  help  smiling 
at  the  tumble-down  edifices,  dignified  by  the  name  of  pub- 
lic buildings,  the  treasury,  the  legislative  hall,  the  post- 


though  a small  number  of  species  have  followed  us  since  we  left  Para  and  others 
have  a range  more  or  less  extensive.  You  remember,  perhaps,  that,  when  al- 
luding to  my  hopes,  I told  you  one  day  that  I believed  in  the  possibility  of  find- 
ing from  two  hundred  and  fifty  to  three  hundred  species  of  fish  in  the  whole  basin 
of  the  Amazons  ; even  now,  having  passed  over  less  than  one  third  of  the  main 
stream,  and  only  diverged  here  and  there  to  some  points  beyond  its  shores,  I 
have  already  obtained  more  than  three  hundred.  It  is  incredible,  above  all,  if 
one  considers  that  the  total  number  known  to  naturalists  does  not  reach  one 
third  of  what  I have  already  collected.  This  result  scarcely  allows  one  to  fore- 
see the  discoveries  to  be  made  whenever  the  affluents  of  the  great  river  are 
explored  with  the  same  care.  An  exploration  of  the  Araguay  for  its  whole 
course,  in  order  to  teach  us  how  many  different  combinations  of  distinct  species 
occur  in  succession,  from  its  sources  to  its  junction  with  the  Tocantins  and 
lower  down  till  it  meets  the  Amazons,  would  be  an  enterprise  worthy  of  you. 
You  have  already  a sort  of  scientific  property  in  this  river,  to  which  you  would 
add  new  rights  in  furnishing  science  with  this  information. 

Permit  me  to  express  to  you  all  the  gratitude  I feel  for  the  interest  you  take 
in  my  young  travelling  companion.  Mr.  Ward  is  worthy  of  it,  alike  from  his 
youth,  his  courage,  and  his  devotion  to  science.  Mr.  Epaminondas  has  just 
communicated  to  me  your  generous  intentions  towards  myself,  and  your 
purpose  of  sending  a steamer  to  Manaos  to  take  the  place  of  the  Piraja, 
and  facilitate  our  exploration  of  the  Rio  Negro  and  the  Rio  Madeira.  I do 
not  know  how  to  thank  you  enough ; all  that  I can  say  is,  that  this  favor 
will  allow  me  to  make  an  exploration  of  these  rivers  which  would  be  other- 
wise impossible.  If  the  result  of  these  researches  be  as  favorable  as  my  hopes, 
the  honor  will  be  due,  in  the  first  instance,  to  the  liberality  of  the  Brazilian 
government.  Encouraged  by  the  results  thus  far  obtained,  I think  that,  if  the 
circumstances  are  favorable,  on  arriving  at  Tabatinga,  we  shall  make  a push 
into  the  lower  part  of  Peru,  while  my  companions  will  explore  the  rivers  inter- 
mediate between  this  town  and  Teffe ; so  that  we  shall  probably  not  return  to 
Manaos  before  the  end  of  October. 

Accept,  my  dear  Sir,  the  assurance  of  my  high  regard,  &c.,  &c. 

L.  Agassiz. 


LIFE  AT  MAN  A OS. 


191 


office,  tlie  custom-house,  the  President’s  mansion,  &c.  The 
position  of  the  city,  however,  at  the  junction  of  the  Kio 
Negro,  the  Amazons,  and  the  Solimoens,  is  commanding ; 
and,  insignificant  as  it  looks  at  present,  Manaos  will  no 
doubt  be  a great  centre  of  commerce  and  navigation  at 
some  future  time.* 

But  when  we  consider  the  vast  extent  of  land  covered 
by  almost  impenetrable  forest  and  the  great  practical  diffi- 
culties in  the  way  of  the  settler  here,  arising  from  the  cli- 
mate, the  insects,  the  obstacles  to  communication,  the  day 
seems  yet  far  distant  when  a numerous  population  will 
cover  the  banks  of  the  Amazons,  when  steamers  will  ply 
between  its  ports  as  between  those  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
when  all  nations  will  share  in  the  rich  products  of  its 
valley. f One  of  my  greatest  pleasures  in  Manaos  has  been 
to  walk  toward  the  neighboring  forest  at  nightfall,  and  see 
the  water-carriers,  Indian  and  negro,  coming  down  from  the 
narrow  pathways  with  their  great  red  earthen  jars  on  their 

* Some  English  travellers  have  criticised  the  position  of  the  town,  and  re- 
gretted that  it  is  not  placed  lower  down,  at  the  immediate  junction  of  the  Rio 
Negro  with  the  Solimoens.  But  its  actual  situation  is  much  better,  on  account 
of  the  more  quiet  port,  removed  as  it  is  from  the  violent  currents  caused  by 
the  meeting  of  the  two  rivers.  — L.  A. 

t When  this  was  written  there  was  hardly  any  prospect  of  the  early  opening 
of  the  Amazons  to  the  free  commerce  of  the  world.  The  circumstance  that 
6ince  the  7th  of  September  last  this  great  fresh- water  ocean  has  been  made 
free  to  the  mercantile  shipping  of  all  nations  will,  no  doubt,  immensely  acceler- 
ate the  development  of  civilization  in  these  desert  regions.  No  act  could  have 
exhibited  more  unequivocally  the  liberal  policy  which  actuates  the  Brazilian 
government  than  this.  To  complete  the  great  work,  two  things  are  still  want- 
ing, — a direct  high  road  between  the  upper  tributaries  of  the  Rio  Madeira 
and  Rio  Paraguay,  and  the  abolition  of  the  subsidies  granted  to  privileged  com- 
panies, that  the  colossal  traffic  of  which  the  whole  basin  is  susceptible  mav 
truly  be  thrown  open  to  a fair  competition.  — L.  A. 


192 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


heads.  They  make  quite  a procession  at  morning  and 
evening;  for  the  river  water  is  not  considered  good,  and 
the  town  is  chiefly  supplied  from  pools  and  little  stream- 
lets in  the  woods.  Many  of  these  pools,  very  prettily 
situated  and  embowered  in  trees,  are  used  as  bathing- 
places  ; one,  which  is  quite  large  and  deep,  is  a special 
favorite  ; it  has  been  thatched  over  with  palm,  and  has 
also  a little  thatched  shed  adjoining,  to  serve  as  a dressing- 
room. 

Yesterday  we  passed  an  interesting  morning  at  a school 
for  Indian  children  a little  way  out  of  the  city.  We  were 
astonished  at  the  aptness  they  showed  for  the  arts  of  civiliza- 
tion so  uncongenial  to  our  North  American  Indians : it  re- 
minded one  that  they  are  the  successors,  on  the  .same  soil, 
of  the  races  who  founded  the  ancient  civilizations  of  Peru 
and  Mexico,  so  much  beyond  any  social  organization  known 
to  have  existed  among  the  more  northern  tribes.  In  one 
room  they  were  turning  out  very  nice  pieces  of  furniture, — 
chairs,  tables,  book-stands,  Ac.,  with  a number  of  smaller 
articles,  such  as  rulers  and  paper-knives.  In  another  room 
they  were  working  in  iron,  in  another  making  fine  fancy 
articles  of  straw.  Besides  these  trades,  they  are  taught 
to  read,  write,  and  cipher,  and  to  play  on  various  musical 
instruments.  For  music  they  are  said  to  have,  like  the 
negro,  a natural  aptitude.  In  the  main  building  were 
the  school-rooms,  dormitories,  store-rooms,  kitchen,  Ac. 
We  were  there  just  at  the  breakfast  hour,  and  had  the 
satisfaction  of  seeing  them  sit  down  to  a hearty  meal, 
consisting  of  a large  portion  of  bread  and  butter  and  a 
generous  bowl  of  coffee.  I could  not  help  contrasting  the 
. expression  of  these  boys,  when  they  were  all  collected, 
with  that  of  a number  of  negro  children  assembled  to- 


LIFE  AT  MANAOS. 


193 


getlier ; the  latter  always  so  jolly  and  careless,  the  former 
shy,  serious,  almost  sombre.  They  looked,  however,  very 
intelligent,  and  we  were  told  that  those  of  pure  Indian 
descent  were  more  so  than  the  half-breeds.  The  school 
is  supported  by  the  province,  but  the  fund  is  small,  and 
the  number  of  pupils  is  very  limited.  Our  pleasure  in 
this  school  was  somewhat  marred  by  hearing  that,  though 
it  purports  to  be  an  orphan  asylum,  children  who  have 
parents  loath  to  part  with  them  are  sometimes  taken  by 
force  from  the  wild  Indian  tribes  to  be  educated  here. 
The  appearance  of  a dark  cell,  barred  up  like  the  cell 
of  a wild  animal,  which  was  used  as  a prison  for  refrac- 
tory scholars,  rather  confirmed  this  impression.  Whenever 
I have  made  inquiries  about  these  reports,  I have  been 
answered,  that,  if  such  cases  occur,  it  is  only  wdiere  chil- 
dren are  taken  from  an  utterly  savage  and  degraded  con- 
dition, and  that  it  is  better  they  should  be  civilized  by 
main  force  than  not  civilized  at  all.  It  may  be  doubted, 
however,  whether  any  providence  but  the  providence  of 
God  is  so  wise  and  so  loving  that  it  may  safely  exercise  a 
compulsory  charity.  Speaking  of  the  education  of  the 
Indians  reminds  me  that  we  have  been  fortunate  enough 
to  meet  a French  padre  here  who  has  furnished  Mr.  Agassiz 
with  a package  of  simple  elementary  Portuguese  books, 
which  he  has  already  sent  to  our  literary  Indian  friend, 
Jose  Maia.  This  kind  priest  offers  also  to  take  the  boy, 
for  whom  Maia  was  so  anxious  to  secure  an  education, 
into  the  seminary  of  which  he  is  director,  and  where  he 
receives  charity  scholars. 

September  12th.  — On  Sunday  we  left  Manaos  in  the  steam- 
er for  Tabatinga,  and  are  again  on  our  way  up  the  river. 
I insert  here  a letter  which  gives  a sort  of  rSsume  of  the 


194 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


scientific  work  up  to  this  moment,  and  shows  also  how 
constantly  we  were  attended  by  the  good-will  of  the  em- 
ployes on  the  Amazonian  line  of  steamers,  and  that  of 
their  excellent  director,  Mr.  Pimenta  Bueno. 

Manaos,  8 Septembre,  1865. 

Senhor  Pimenta  Bueno. 

Mon  cher  Ami:—  Vous  serez  probablement  surpris  de 
recevoir  seulement  quelques  lignes  de  moi  apres  le  temps 
qui  s’est  dcoule  depuis  ma  derniere  lettre.  Le  fait  est  que 
depuis  Obydos  je  suis  alle  de  surprise  en  surprise  et  que  j’ai 
a peine  eu  le  temps  de  prendre  soin  des  collections  que 
nous  avons  faites,  sans  pouvoir  les  etudier  convenablement. 
C’est  ainsi  que  pendant  le  semaine  que  nous  avons  passee 
dans  les  environs  de  Villa  Bella,  an  Lago  Jose  Assu  et 
Lago  Maximo,  nous  avons  recueilli  cent  quatre-vingts  especes 
de  poissons  dont  les  deux  tiers  au  moins  sont  nouvelles  et 
ceux  de  mes  compagnons  qui  sont  restes  a Santarem  et  dans 
le  Tapajoz  en  out  rapporte  une  cinquantaine,  ce  qui  fait  deja 
bien  au  dela  de  trois  cents  especes  en  comptant  celles  de 
Porto  do  Moz,  de  Gurupa,  de  Tajapuru  et  de  Monte  Alegre. 
Vous  voyez  qu’ avail t meme  d’avoir  parcouru  le  tiers  du 
cours  de  l’Amazone,  le  nombre  des  poissons  est  plus  du  triple 
de  celui  de  toutes  les  especes  connues  jusqu’a  ce  jour,  et  je 
commence  a m’apercevoir  que  nous  ne  ferons  qu’effieurer 
la  surface  du  centre  de  ce  grand  bassin.  Que  sera-ce  lors- 
qu’on  pourra  etudier  a loisir  et  dans  l’epoque  la  plus  fa- 
vorable tous  ses  affluents.  Aussi  je  prends  d£s-a-piAsent  la 
resolution  de  faire  de  plus  nombreuses  stations  dans  la  par- 
tie  supdrieure  du  fleuve  et  de  prolonger  mon  s^jour  aussi 
long-temps  que  mes  forces  me  le  permettront.  Ne  croyez 
pas  cependant  que  j’oublie  a qui  je  dois  un  pared  succds. 
C’est  vous  qui  m’avez  mis  sur  la  voie  en  me  faisant 


LIFE  AT  MANAOS. 


195 


connaifcre  les  ressources  de  la  fdret  et  mieux  encore  en 
me  fournissant  les  moyens  d’en  tirer  parti.  Merci,  millc 
fois,  merci.  Je  dois  aussi  tenir  grand  compte  de  l’as- 
sistance  que  m’ont  fournie  les  agents  de  la  compagnie 
sur  tous  les  points  ou  nous  avons  touche.  Notre  aimable 
commandant  s’est  egalement  dvertud,  et  pendant  que  j’ex- 
plorais  les  lacs  des  environs  de  Villa  Bella  il  a fait  lui- 
meme  une  tres  belle  collection  dans  PAmazone  meme, 
ou  il  a recueilli  de  nombreuses  petites  espdces  quo  les 
pecheurs  negligent  toujours.  A Parriv^e  du  Belem,  j’ai 
regu  votre  aimable  lettre  et  une  partie  de  l’alcohol  que 
j’avais  demande  a M.  Bond.  Je  lui  6cris  aujourd’hui 
pour  qu’il  m’en  envoie  encore  une  partie  a Teffe  et  plus  tard 
davantage  a Manaos.  Je  vous  remercie  pour  le  catalogue 
des  poissons  du  Par  & ; je  vous  le  restituerai  a notre  retour, 
avec  les  additions  que  je  ferai  pendant  le  reste  du  voyage. 
Adieu,  mon  cher  ami. 

Tout  a vous, 

L.  Agassiz.* 

* Senator  Pimenta  Bueno. 

My  dear  Friend  : — You  will  probably  be  surprised  to  receive  only  a 
few  lines  from  me  after  the  time  which  has  elapsed  since  my  last  letter. 
The  truth  is,  that,  since  Obydos,  I have  passed  from  surprise  to  surprise, 
and  that  I have  scarcely  had  time  to  take  care  of  the  collections  we  have 
made,  without  being  able  to  study  them  properly.  Thus,  during  the  week 
we  spent  in  the  environs  of  Villa  Bella,  at  Lago  Jose  Assu  and  Lago  Maximo, 
we  have  collected  one  hundred  and  eighty  species  of  fishes,  two  thirds  of  which, 
at  least,  arc  new,  while  those  of  my  companions  who  remained  at  Santarem  and 
upon  the  Tapajoz  have  brought  back  some  fifty  more,  making  already  more 
than  three  hundred  speqies,  including  those  of  Porto  do  Moz,  of  Gurupa,  of 
Tajapuru,  and  of  Monte  Alegre.  You  see  that  before  having  ascended  the 
Amazons  for  one  third  of  its  course,  the  number  of  fishes  is  more  than  triple 
that  of  all  the  species  known  thus  far,  and  I begin  to  perceive  that  we  shall  not 
do  more  than  skim  over  the  surface  of  the  centre  of  this  great  basin.  What 
will  it  be  when  it  becomes  possible  to  study  all  its  affluents  at  leisure  and  in  the 


196 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Although  no  longer  on  board  an  independent  steamer,  we 
are  still  the  guests  of  the  company,  having  government 
passages.  Nothing  can  be  more  comfortable  than  the 
travelling  on  these  Amazonian  boats.  They  are  clean 
and  well  kept,  with  good-sized  state-rooms,  which  most 
persons  use,  however,  only  as  dressing-rooms,  since  it  is 
always  more  agreeable  to  sleep  on  the  open  deck  in  one’s 
hammock.  The  table  is  very  well  kept,  the  fare  good, 
though  not  varied.  Bread  is  the  greatest  deficiency,  but 
hard  biscuit  makes  a tolerable  substitute.  Our  life  is  after 
this  fashion.  We  turn  out  of  our  hammocks  at  dawn,  go 
down  stairs  to  make  our  toilets,  and  have  a cup  of  hot 
coffee  •‘below.  By  this  time  the  decks  are  generally  washed 
and  dried,  the  hammocks  removed,  and  we  can  go  above 
again.  Between  then  and  the  breakfast  hour,  at  half 
past  ten  o’clock,  I generally  study  Portuguese,  though 
my  lessons  are  somewhat  interrupted  by  watching  the 

most  favorable  season  ! I have  resolved  to  make  more  numerous  stations  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  river  and  to  stay  as  long  as  my  strength  and  means  will 
allow.  Do  not  think,  however,  that  I forget  to  whom  I owe  such  a success. 

It  is  you  who  have  put  me  Qn  the  path,  by  making  known  to  me  the  resources  } 
of  the  forest,  and,  better  still,  by  furnishing  me  with  the  means  to  profit  by 
them.  Thanks,  a thousand  times,  thanks.  I ought  also  to  acknowledge  the 
assistance  afforded  me  by  the  agents  of  the  Company,  at  all  the  points  where 
we  have  touched.  Our  amiable  commander  has  also  exerted  himself,  and 
while  I explored  the  lakes  in  the  neighborhood  of  Villa  Bella,  he  made  a 
very  fine  collection  in  the  Amazons,  especially  of  the  numerous  small  species 
always  overlooked  by  fishermen.  On  the  arrival  of  the  Belem  I received 
your  kind  letter  and  a part  of  the  alcohol  I had  asked  from  Mr.  Bond.  I 
am  writing  to-day  to  ask  him  to  send  me  a part  to  Teffe,  and,  somewhat 
later,  more  to  Manaos.  Thank  you  for  the  catalogue  of  Para  fishes ; I shall 
give  it  back  on  our  return,  with  the  additions  I shall  make  during  the  re- 
mainder of  the  voyage.  Adieu,  my  dear  friend. 

Ever  yours. 


L.  Agassiz. 


LIFE  AT  MANAOS. 


197 


shore  and  the  trees,  a constant  temptation  when  we  are 
coasting  along  near  the  banks.  At  half  past  ten  or  eleven 
o’clock  breakfast  is  served,  and  after  that  the  glare  of  the 
sun  becomes  trying,  and  I usually  descend  to  the  cabin, 
where  we  make  up  our  journals,  and  write  during  the 
middle  of  the  day.  At  three  o’clock  I consider  that  the 
working  hours  are  over,  and  then  I take  a book  and  sit 
in  my  lounging-cliair  on  deck,  and  watch  the  scenery,  and 
the  birds  and  the  turtles,  and  the  alligators  if  there  are 
any,  and  am  lazy  in  a general  way.  At  five  o’clock  dinner 
is  served,  (the  meals  being  always  on  deck,)  and  after  that 
begins  the  delight  of  the  day.  At  that  hour  it  grows  de- 
liciously cool,  the  sunsets  are  always  beautiful,  and  we  go 
to  the  forward  deck  and  sit  there  till  nine  o’clock  in  the 
evening.  Then  comes  tea,  and  then  to  our  hammocks  ; I 
sleep  in  mine  most  profoundly  till  morning. 

To-day  we  stopped  at  a small  station  on  the  north  side  of 
the  river  called  Barreiradas  Cudajas.  The  few  houses  stand 
on  a bank  of  red  drift,  slightly  stratified  in  some  parts,  and 
affording  a support  for  the  river-mud,  shored  up  against  it. 
Since  then,  in  our  progress,  we  have  seen  the  same  forma- 
tion in  several  localities. 

September  13 th. — This  morning  the  steamer  dropped 
anchor  at  the  little  town  of  Coari  on  the  Coari  Elver, — 
one  of  the  rivers  of  black  water.  W e were  detained  at 
this  place  for  some  hours,  taking  in  wood ; so  slow  a process 
here,  that  an  American,  accustomed  to  the  rapid  methods  of 
work  at  home,  looks  on  in  incredulous  astonishment.  A 
crazy  old  canoe,  with  its  load  of  wood,  creeps  out  from  the 
shore,  the  slowness  of  its  advance  accounted  for  by  the  fact 
that  of  its  two  rowers  one  has  a broken  paddle,  the  other  a 
long  stick,  to  serve  as  apologies  for  oars.  When  the  hoat 


198 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


reaches  the  side  of  the  steamer,  a line  of  men  is  formed 
some  eight  or  ten  in  number,  and  the  wood  is  passed 
from  hand  to  hand,  log  by  log,  each  log  counted  as  it 
arrives.  Mr.  Agassiz  timed  them  this  morning,  and  found 
that  they  averaged  about  seven  logs  a minute.  Under 
these  circumstances,  one  can  understand  that  stopping  to 
wood  is  a long  affair.  Since  we  left  Coari  we  have  been 
soasting  along  close  to  the  land,  the  continental  shoie, 
and  not  that  of  an  island.  The  islands  are  so  large  and 
numerous  in  the  Amazons,  that  often  when  we  believe  our- 
selves between  the  northern  and  southern  margins  of  the 
river,  we  are  in  fact  between  island  shores.  We  have  fol- 
lowed the  drift  almost  constantly  to-day, — the  same  red 
drift  with  which  we  have  become  so  familiar  in  South 
America.  Sometimes  it  rises  in  cliffs  and  banks  above 
the  mud  deposit,  sometimes  it  crops  out  through  the  mud, 
occasionally  mingling  with  it  and  partially  stratified,  and  in 
one  locality  it  overlaid  a gray  rock  in  place,  the  nature  of 
which  Mr.  Agassiz  could  not  determine,  but  which  was 
distinctly  stratified  and  slightly  tilted.  The  drift  is  cer- 
tainly more  conspicuous  as  we  ascend  the  river ; is  this 
because  we  approach  its  source,  or  because  the  nature 
of  the  vegetation  allows  us  to  see  more  of  the  soil  ? 
Since  we  left  Manaos  the  forest  has  been  less  luxuriant; 
it  is  lower  on  the  Solimoens  than  on  the  Amazons,  more 
ragged  and  more  open.  The  palms  are  also  less  numerous 
than  hitherto,  but  there  is  a tree  here  which  rivals  them  in 
dignity.  Its  flat  dome,  rounded  but  not  conical,  towers 
above  the  forest,  and,  when  seen  from  a distance,  has  an 
almost  architectural  character,  so  regular  is  its  form.  This 
majestic  tree,  called  the  Sumaumeira  (Eriodendron  Su- 
uiauma),  is  one  of  the  few  trees  in  this  climate  which  shed 


LIFE  AT  MANAOS. 


199 


their  leases  periodically,  and  now  it  lifts  its  broad  rounded 
summit  above  the  green  mass  of  vegetation  around  it,  quite 
bare  of  foliage.  Symmetrical  as  it  is,  the  branches  are 
greatly  ramified  and  very  knotty.  The  bark  is  white.  It 
would  seem  that  the  season  approaches  when  the  Sumaumei- 
ras  should  take  on  their  green  garb  again,  for  a few  are 
already  beginning  to  put  out  young  leaves.  Beside  this 
giant  of  the  forest,  the  Imbauba  (Cecropia),  much  lower 
here,  however,  than  in  Southern  Brazil,  and  the  Taxi, 
with  its.  white  flowers  and  brown  buds,  are  very  conspicu- 

i 

ous  along  the  banks.  Close  upon  the  shore  the  arrow- 
grass,  some  five  or  six  feet  in  height,  grows  in  quantity ; 
it  is  called  “ frexas  ” here,  being  used  by  the  Indians  to 
make  their  arrows. 

September  14 th.  — For  the  last  day  or  two  the  shore  has 
been  higher  than  we  have  seen  it  since  leaving  Manaos. 
We  constantly  pass  cliffs  of  red  drift  with  a shallow  beach 
of  mud  deposit  resting  against  them  ; not  infrequently  a 
gray  rock,  somewhat  like  clay  slate,  crops  out  below  the 
drift ; this  rock  is  very  distinctly  stratified,  tilting  some- 
times to  the  west,  sometimes  to  the  east,  always  uncon- 
formable  with  the  overlying  drift.*  The  color  of  the  drift 
changes  occasionally,  being  sometimes  nearly  white  in  this 
neighborhood  instead  of  red.  We  are  coming  now  to  that 
part  of  the  Amazons  where  the  wide  sand-beaches  occur, 
the  breeding-places  of  the  turtles  and  alligators.  It  is  not 
yet  quite  the  season  for  gathering  the  turtle-eggs,  making 
the  turtle-butter,  &c.,  but  we  frequently  see  the  Indian 


* In  the  course  of  the  investigation,  I have  ascertained  that  this  slaty  rock, 
as  well  as  the  hard  sandstone  seen  along  the  river-banks  at  Manaos,  forms  part 
of  the  great  drift  formation  of  the  Amazons,  and  that  there  is  neither  old  red 
sandstone,  nor  trias,  here,  as  older  observers  supposed.  — L.  A. 


200 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


huts  on  the  beaches,  and  their  stakes  set  up  for  spreading 
and  drying  fish,  which  is  one  of  the  great  articles  of 
commerce  here.  This  morning  we  have  passed  several 
hours  off  the  town  of  Ega,  or  Tefife  as  the  Brazilians 
call  it.  It  takes  its  name  from  the  river  Teffe,  but  the 
town  itself  stands  on  a small  lake,  formed  by  the  river 
just  before  it  joins  the  Amazons.  The  entrance  to  the 
lake,  which  is  broken  by  a number  of  little  channels  or 
igarapes,  and  the  approach  to  the  town,  are  exceedingly 
pretty.  The  town  itself,  with  a wide  beach  in  front,  stand- 
ing on  the  slope  of  a green  hill,  where  sheep  and  cattle, 
a rare  sight  in  this  region,  are  grazing,  looks  very  inviting. 
We  examined  it  with  interest,  for  some  of  the  party  at 
least  will  return  to  this  station  for  the  purpose  of  making 
collections. 

September  15th.  — For  the  last  two  or  three  days  we  have 
been  holding  frequent  discussions  as  to  the  best  dispo- 
sition of  our  forces  after  reaching  Tabatinga  ; — a source 
of  great  anxiety  to  Mr.  Agassiz,  the  time  we  have  to 
spend  being  so  short,  and  the  subjects  of  investigation 
so  various  and  so  important.  Should  he  give  up  the 
idea  of  continuing,  in  person,  his  study  of  the  fishes  in 
the  upper  Amazons,  leaving  only  some  parties  to  make 
collections,  and  going  himself  into  Peru,  to  visit  at  least 
the  first  spur  of  the  Andes,  with  the  purpose  of  ascer- 
taining whether  any  vestiges  of  glaciers  are  to  be  found 
in  the  valleys,  and  also  of  making  a collection  of  fishes 
from  the  mountain  streams  ; or  should  he  renounce  the 
journey  into  Peru  for  the  present,  and,  making  a station 
somewhere  in  this  region  for  the  next  month  or  two,  com- 
plete, as  far  as  may  be,  his  investigation  of  the  distribution 
and  development  of  fishes  in  the  Solimoens  ? Had  the 


LIFE  AT  MANAOS. 


201 


result  of  the  Peruvian  journey  been  more  certain,  the 
decision  would  have  been  easier  ; but  it  is  more  than 
likely  that  the  torrential  rains  of  this  latitude  have  de- 
composed the  surface  and  swept  away  all  traces  of  glaciers, 
if  they  ever  existed  at  so  low  a level.  To  go  on,  therefore, 
seemed  a little  like  giving  up  a certain  for  an  uncertain 
result.  Earnestly  desirous  of  making  the  best  use  of  his 
time  and  opportunities  here,  this  doubt  has  disturbed  Mr. 
Agassiz’s  waking  and  sleeping  thoughts  for  several  days 
past.  Yesterday  morning,  at  Teffe,  a most  unexpected 
adviser  appeared  in  the  midst  of  our  council  of  war. 
Insignificant  in  size,  this  individual,  nevertheless,  brought 
great  weight  to  the  decision.  The  intruder  was  a small 
fish  with  his  mouth  full  of  young  ones.  The  practical, 
plea  was  irresistible,  — embryology  carried  the  day.  A 
chance  of  investigating  so  extraordinary  a process  of  de- 
velopment, not  only  in  this  species  but  in  several  others 
said  to  rear  their  young  in  the  same  fashion,  was  not  to 
be  thrown  away ; and,  besides,  there  was  the  prospect  of 
making  a collection  and  a series  of  colored  drawings,  from 
the  life,  of  the  immense  variety  of  fishes  in  the  river  and 
lake  of  Teffe,  and  perhaps  of  studying  the  embryology  of 
the  turtles  and  alligators  in  their  breeding  season.  Mr. 
Agassiz,  therefore,  decides  to  return  to  Teffe  with  his 
artist  and  two  or  three  other  assistants,  and  to  make  a 
station  there  for  a month  at  least,  leaving  Mr.  Bourget, 
with  our  Indian  fisherman,  at  Tabatinga  to  collect  in  that 
region,  and  sending  Mr.  James  and  Mr.  Talisman  to  the 
river  Putumayo,  or  I§a,  and  afterwards  to  the  Hyutahy 
for  the  same  purpose.  This  dispersion  of  parties  to  col- 
lect simultaneously  in  different  areas,  divided  from  each 
other  by  considerable  distances,  will  show  how  the  fishes 

9* 


202 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


are  distributed,  and  whether  their  combinations  differ  in 
these  localities  as  they  have  been  found  to  do  in  the 
Lower  Amazons. 

I insert  here  a letter  to  the  Emperor  on  the  subject  of 
this  curious  fish,  which  happened  to  be  one  which  Mr. 
Agassiz  had  formerly  dedicated  to  him. 


Teffe,  14  Septembre,  1865. 

Sire: — En  arrivant  ici  ce  matin  j’ai  eu  la  surprise  la 
plus  agreable  et  la  plus  inattendue.  Le  premier  poisson 
qui  me  fut  apporte  etait  1’Acara  que  votre  Majeste  a bien 
voulu  me  permettre  de  lui  dedier  et  par  un  bonlieur  inoui 
c’etait  l’epoque  de  la  ponte  et  il  avait  la  bouche  pleine  de 
petits  vivants,  en  voie  de  developpement.  Yoila  done  le 
fait  le  plus  incroyable  en  embryologie  pleinement  con- 
firme,  et  il  ne  me  reste  plus  qu’a  Otudier  en  detail  et  h 
loisir  tous  les  cliangements  que  subissent  ces  petits  jus- 
qu’au  moment  ou  ils  quittent  leur  singulier  nid,  afin  que 
je  puisse  publier  un  recit  complet.  de  cette  singuliere 
histoire.  Mes  provisions  sur  la  distribution  des  poissons 
se  confirment ; le  fleuve  est  habite  par  plusieurs  faunes 
ichthyologiques  trOs  distinctes,  qui  n’ont  pour  lien  com- 
mun  qu’un  tres  petit  nombre  d’especes  qu’on  rencontre 
partout.  Il  reste  main  tenant  a preciser  les  limites  de 
ces  regions  ichthyologiques  et  peut-etre  me  laisserai-je 
entrainer  a consacrer  quelque  temps  a cette  etude,  si  je 
trouve  les  moyens  d’y  parvenir.  Il  y a maintenant  une 
question  qui  devient  fort  interessante,  e’est  de  savoir 
jusqu’a  quel  point  le  meme  phOnomene  se  reproduit  dans 
cliacun  des  grands  affluents  du  Rio  Amazonas,  ou  en 
d’autres  termes  si  les  poissons  des  regions  supOrieures  du 
Rio  Madeira  et  du  Rio  Negro,  etc.,  etc.,  sont  les  memes 


LIFE  AT  MANAOS. 


203 


que  ceux  du  cours  inftfrieur  de  ces  fleuves.  Quant  & la 
diversity  meme  dcs  poissons  du  bassin  tout  entier  mes 
provisions  sont  de  beaucoup  dOpassOes.  Avant  d’arriver 
a Manaos  j’avais  dOja  recueilli  plus  de  trois  cents  especes, 
c.  a.  d.  le  triple  des  especes  connues  jusqu’a  ce  jour  au 
moins.  La  moitiO  environ  ont  pu  etre  peintes  sur  le  vivant 
par  M.  Burkhardt ; ensorte  que  si  je  puis  parvenir  a publier 
tous  ces  documents,  les  renseignements  que  je  pourrai  four- 
nir  sur  ce  sujet  depasseront  de  beaucoup  tout  ce  que  Ton 
a publie  jusqu’a  ce  jour. 

Je  serais  bien  heureux  d’apprendre  que  Yotre  MajestO 
n’a  pas  rencontre  de  difficulties  dans  son  voyage  et  qu’Elle 
a atteint  pleinement  le  but  qu’Elle  se  proposait.  Nous 
sommes  ici  sans  nouvelles  du  Sud,  depuis  que  nous  avons 
quitte  Bio,  et  tout  ce  que  nous  avions  appris  alors'  etait 
qu’aprOs  une  traversOe  assez  orageuse  votre  MajestO  avait 
atteint  le  Rio  Grande.  Que  Dieu  protege  et  benisse  votre 
Majeste ! Avec  les  sentiments  du  plus  profond  respect  et 
de  la  reconnaissance  la  plus  vive, 

Je  suis  de  votre  Majeste 

le  tres  humble  et  trOs  obeissant  serviteur, 

L.  Agassiz.* 

* Teffe,  14  September,  1865. 

Sire  : — On  arriving  here  this  morning  I had  the  most  agreeable  and  unex- 
pected surprise.  The  first  fish  brought  to  me  was  the  Acara,  which  your 
Majesty  kindly  permitted  me  to  dedicate  to  you,  and  by  an  unlooked-for 
good  fortune  it  was  the  breeding  season,  and  it  had  its  mouth  full  of  little 
young  ones  in  the  process  of  development.  Here,  then,  is  the  most  incredible 
fact  in  embryology  fully  confirmed,  and  it  remains  for  me  only  to  study, 
in  detail  and  at  leisure,  all  the  changes  which  the  young  undergo  up  to  the 
moment  when  they  leave  their  singular  nest,  in  order  that  I may  publish 
a complete  account  of  this  curious  history.  My  anticipations  as  to  the 
distribution  of  fishes  are  confirmed ; the  river  is  inhabited  by  several  very 
distinct  ichthyological  faunae,  which  have,  as  a common  link,  only  a very 


204 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


The  character  of  the  banks  yesterday  and  to-day  continues 
unchanged  ; they  are  rather  high,  rising  now  and  then  in 
bluffs  and  presenting  the  same  mixture  of  reddish  drift  and 
mud  deposit,  with  the  gray,  slaty  rock  below,  cropping  out 
occasionally.  This  morning  we  are  stopping  to  wood  at  a 
station  opposite  the  village  of  Fonte  B6a.  Here  Mr.  Agassiz 
has  had  an  opportunity  of  going  on  shore  and  examining  this 
formation.  He  finds  a thick  bed  of  ferruginous  sandstone 
underlying  a number  of  thinner  beds  of  mud  clay,  resem- 
bling old  clay  slate  with  cleavage.  These  beds  are  overlaid 
by  a bank  of  ochre-colored  sandy  clay  (designated  as  drift 
above),  with  hardly  any  signs  of  stratification.  Yesterday 
we  passed  several  lakes,  shut  out  from  the  river  by  mud- 


small  number  of  species  to  be  met  with  everywhere.  It  remains  now  to  as- 
certain with  precision  the  limits  of  these  ichthyological  regions,  and  I may 
perhaps  be  drawn  on  to  devote  some  time  to  this  study,  if  I find  the  means 
of  accomplishing  it.  There  is  a question  which  now  becomes  very  interest- 
ing ; it  is  to  know  how  far  the  same  phenomenon  is  reproduced  in  each  one  of 
the  great  affluents  of  the  river  Amazons,  or,  in  other  words,  whether  the  fishes 
of  the  upper  regions  of  the  Rio  Madeira,  the  Rio  Negro,  &c.,  &c.,  are  the  same 
as  those  of  the  lower  course  of  these  rivers.  As  to  the  diversity  of  fishes  in 
the  whole  basin,  my  expectations  are  far  surpassed.  Before  arriving  at  Manaos 
I had  already  collected  more  than  three  hundred  species,  that  is  to  say,  at  least 
three  times  the  number  of  species  thus  far  known.  About  half  have  been  paint- 
ed from  life  by  Mr.  Burkhardt ; if  I can  succeed  in  publishing  all  these  docu- 
ments, the  information  I shall  be  able  to  furnish  on  this  subject  will  exceed  all 
that  has  been  thus  far  made  known.  I should  be  very  glad  to  learn  that  your 
Majesty  has  not  met  with  difficulties  on  the  voyage,  and  has  been  able  fully  to 
accomplish  the  ends  proposed.  We  are  here  without  news  from  the  South 
since  we  left  Rio,  and  all  we  had  learned  then  was,  that  after  a very  stormy 
passage  your  Majesty  had  reached  the  Rio  Grande.  May  God  protect  and 
bless  your  Majesty ! 

With  sentiments  of  the  most  profound  respect  and  the  liveliest  grati- 
tude, I am 

Your  Majesty’s  very  humble  and  obedient  servant, 

L.  Agassiz. 


LIFE  AT  MANAOS. 


205 


oars,  and  seemingly  haunted  by  waterfowl.  In  one  we  saw 
immense  flocks  of  what  looked  at  that  distance  either 
like  red  Ibises  or  red  spoonbills,  and  also  numbers  of 
gulls.  Our  sportsmen  looked  longingly  at  them,  and  are 
impatient  for  the  time  when  we  shall  be  settled  on  land, 
and  they  can  begin  to  make  havoc  among  the  birds. 

September  Vlth.  — Last  evening  we  took  in  wood  from 
the  shore  some  miles  below  the  town  of  Tonantins.  I sat 
watching  the  Indians  on  the  bank,  of  whom  there  were 
some  fifteen  or  twenty,  men,  women,  and  children  ; the 
men  loading  the  wood,  the  women  and  children  being 
there  apparently  to  look  on.  They  had  built  a fire  .on 
the  bank,  and  hung  their  nets  or  cotton  tents,  under  which 
they  sleep,  on  the  trees  behind.  They  made  a wild  group, 
passing  to  and  fro  in  the  light  of  the  fire,  the  care  of  which 
seemed  the  special  charge  of  a tall,  gaunt,  weird-looking 
woman,  who  would  have  made  a good  Meg  Merrilies. 
She  seemed  to  have  but  one  garment,  — a long,  brown, 
stuff  robe,  girt  round  the  waist;  as  she  strode  about  the 
fire,  throwing  on  fresh  logs  arid  stirring  the  dying  em- 
bers, the  flames  blazed  up  in  her  face,  lighting  her  tawny 
skin  and  long,  unkempt  hair,  flickering  over  the  figures  of 
women  and  children  about  her,  and  shedding  a warm  glow 
over  the  forest  which  made  the  setting  to  the  picture.  This 
is  the  only  very  tail  Indian  woman  I have  seen  ; usually 
the  women  are  rather  short  of  stature.  When  the  Indians 
had  made  their  preparations  for  the  night,  they  heaped 
damp  fuel  on  the  fire  till  it  smouldered  down  and  threw 
out  thick  clouds  of  smoke,  enveloping  the  sleeping-tents, 
and  no  doubt  driving  off  effectually  the  clouds  of  mosqui- 
toes, from  which  the  natives  seem  as  great  sufferers  as 
strangers.  These  upper  stations  on  the  Amazons  are 


206 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


haunted  by  swarms  of  mosquitoes  at  night,  and  during 
the  day  by  a little  biting  fly  called  Pium,  no  less  annoy- 
ing. 

September  18 th. — Another  pause  last  evening  at  the  vil- 
lage of  San  Paolo,  standing  on  a ridge  which  rises  quite 
steeply  from  the  river  and  sinks  again  into  a ravine  be- 
hind. Throughout  all  this  region  the  banks  are  eaten  away 
by  the  river,  large  portions  falling  into  the  water  at  a time, 
and  carrying  the  trees  with  them.  These  land-slides  are 
so  frequent  and  so  extensive  as  to  make  travelling  along 
the  banks  in  small  boats  quite  dangerous.  The  scenery 
of  the  Solimoens  is  by  no  means  so  interesting  as  that  of 
the  Lower  Amazons.  The  banks  are  ragged  and  broken, 
the  forest  lower,  less  luxuriant,  and  the  palm  growth  very 
fitful.  For  a day  or  two  past  we  have  scarcely  seen  any 
palms.  One  kind  seems  common,  however,  namely,  the 
Paxiuba  Barriguda  — Pa-shee-oo-ba  (Iriartea  ventricosa), 
a species  not  unlike  the  Assai  in  dignity  of  port,  but 
remarkable  for  the  swelling  of  its  stem  at  half  height, 
giving  it  a sort  of  spindle  shape.  The  cut  of  the  foliage 
is  peculiar  also,  each  leaflet  being  wedge-shaped.  The 
steamer  is  often  now  between  the  shores  of  the  river  itself 
instead  of  coasting  along  by  the  many  lovely  islands  which 
make  the  voyage  between  Par&  and  Manaos  so  diversified  ; 
what  is  thus  gained  in  dimensions  is  lost  in  picturesqueness 
of  detail.  Then  the  element  of  human  life  and  habitations 
is  utterly  wanting  ; one  often  travels  for  a day  without 
meeting  even  so  much  as  a hut.  But  if  men  are  not  to 
be  seen,  animals  are  certainly  plenty ; as  our  steamer  puffs 
along,  great  flocks  of  birds  rise  up  from  the  shore,  turtles 
pop  their  black  noses  out  of  the  water,  alligators  show 
themselves  occasionally,  and  sometimes  a troop  of  brown 


LIFE  AT  MANAOS. 


207 


Capivari  scuttles  up  the  bank,  taking  refuge  in  the  trees 
at  our  approach.  To-morrow  morning  we  reach  Tabatinga, 
and  touch  the  farthest  point  of  our  journey. 

September  20th.  — On  Monday  evening  we  arrived  at  Ta- 
batinga, remaining  there  till  Wednesday  morning  to  dis- 
charge the  cargo,  — a lengthy  process,  with  the  Brazilian 
method  of  working.  Tabatinga  is  the  frontier  town  between 
Brazil  and  Peru,  and  is  dignified  by  the  name  of  a military 
station,  though  when  one  looks  at  the  two  or  three  small 
mounted  guns  on  the  bank,  the  mud  house  behind  them 
constituting  barracks,  with  half  a dozen  soldiers  lounging 
in  front  of  it,  one  cannot  but  think  that  the  fortification  is 
not  a very  formidable  one.*  The  town  itself  standing  on  a 
mud  bluff,  deeply  ravined  and  cracked  in  many  directions, 
consists  of  some  dozen  ruinous  houses  built  around  an  open 
square.  Of  the  inhabitants  I saw  but  little,  for  it  was  to- 
ward evening  when  I went  on  shore,  and  they  were  already 
driven  under  shelter  by  the  mosquitoes.  One  or  two  looked 
out  from  their  doors  and  gave  me  a friendly  warning  not  to 
proceed  unless  I was  prepared  to  be  devoured,  and  indeed 
the  buzzing  swarm  about  me  soon  drove  me  back  to  the 

* At  this  point  the  Amazonian  meets  the  Peruvian  steamer,  and  they 
exchange  cargoes.  Formerly  the  Brazilian  company  of  Amazonian  steamers 
extended  its  line  of  travel  to  Laguna,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Huallaga.  Now 
this  part  of  the  journey  has  passed  into  the  hands  of  a Peruvian  company, 
whose  steamers  run  up  to  Urimaguas  on  the  Huallaga.  They  are,  however, 
by  no  means  so  comfortable  as  the  Brazilian  steamers,  having  little  or  no 
accommodation  for  passengers.  The  upper  Maranon  is  navigable  for  large 
steamers  as  far  as  Jaen,  as  are  also  its  tributaries,  the  Huallaga  and 
Ucayali  on  the  south,  the  Moronha,  Pastazza,  and  Napo  on  the  north,  to 
a great  distance  above  their  junction  with  the  main  stream.  There  is 
reason  to  believe  that  all  these  larger  affluents  of  the  Amazons  will  before 
long  have  their  regular  lines  of  steamers  like  the  great  river  itself.  The 
opening  of  the  Amazons,  no  doubt,  will  hasten  this  result.  — L.  A. 


208 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


steamer.  The  mosquitoes  by  night  and  the  Piums  by  day 
are  said  to  render  life  almost  intolerable  here.  Under  these 
circumstances  we  could  form  little  idea  of  the  character  of 
the  vegetation  in  our  short  stay.  But  we  made  the  ac- 
quaintance of  one  curious  palm,  the  Tucum,  a species  of 
Astrocaryum,  the  fibre  of  which  makes  an  excellent  material 
for  weaving  hammocks,  fishing-nets,  and  the  like.  It  is  grad- 
ually becoming  an  important  article  of  commerce.  The 
approach  to  Tabatinga,  with  two  or  three  islands  in  the 
neighborhood,  numerous  igarap^s  opening  out  of  the  river, 
and  the  Hyavary  emptying  into  it,  is,  however,  one  of  the 
prettiest  parts  of  the  Solimoens.  We  found  here  four 
members  of  a Spanish  scientific  commission,  who  have 
been  travelling  several  years  in  South  and  Central  Ameri- 
ca, and  whose  track  we  have  crossed  several  times  without 
meeting  them.  They  welcomed  the  arrival  of  the  steamer 
with  delight,  having  awaited  their  release  at  Tabatinga  for 
two  or  three  weeks.  The  party  consisted  of  Drs.  Alma- 
gro,  Spada,  Martinez,  and  Isern.  They  had  just  accom- 
plished an  adventurous  journey,  having  descended  the 
Napo  on  a raft,  which  their  large  collection  of  live  ani- 
mals had  turned  into  a sort  of  Noah’s  ark.  After  various 
risks  and  exposures  they  had  arrived  at  Tabatinga,  having 
lost  almost  all  their  clothing,  except  what  they  wore,  by 
shipwreck.  Fortunately,  their  papers  and  collections  were 
saved. * We  are  now  on  our  way  down  the  river  again, 
having  left  Mr.  Bourget  at  Tabatinga  to  pass  a month  in 
making  collections  in  that  region,  and  dropped  Mr.  James 

* These  gentlemen  descended  the  river  with  ns  as  far  as  Teffe,  and  we 
afterwards  heard  of  their  safe  arrival  in  Madrid.  They  had,  however, 
suffered  much  in  health,  and  Mr.  Isern  died  soon  after  his  return  to  his  native 
land. 


LIFE  AT  MANAOS. 


209 


and  Mr.  Talisman  last  evening  at  San  Paolo,  where  they  are 
to  get  a canoe  and  Indians  for  their  further  journey  to  the 
19a.  This  morning,  while  stopping  to  wood  at  Fonte  BOa, 
Mr.  Agassiz  went  on  shore  and  collected  a very  interesting 
series  of  fossil  plants  in  the  lower  mud  deposit ; he  was  also 
very  successful  in  making  a small  collection  of  fishes,  con- 
taining several  new  species,  during  the  few  hours  we  passed 
at  this  place. 

September  25th.  — TeffA  On  Friday,  the  day  after  my  last 
date,  we  were  within  two  or  three  hours  of  Teffe  ; we  had 
just  finished  packing  our  various  effects,  and  were  closing 
&ur  letters  to  be  mailed  from  Manaos,  when  the  steamer 
came  to  a sudden  pause  with  that  dead,  sullen,  instan- 
taneous stop  which  means  mischief.  The  order  to  reverse 
the  engines  was  given  instantly,  but  we  had  driven  with 
all  our  force  into  the  bed  of  the  river,  and  there  we 
remained,  motionless.  This  is  sometimes  rather  a serious 
accident  at  the  season  when  the  waters  are  falling,  steamers 
having  been  occasionally  stranded  for  a number  of  weeks. 
It  is  not  easily  guarded  against,  the  river  bottom  changing 
so  constantly  and  so  suddenly  that  even  the  most  experi- 
enced pilots  cannot  always  avoid  disaster.  They  may  pass 
with  perfect  safety  in  their  upward  voyage  over  a place 
where,  on  their  return,  they  find  a formidable  bank  of  mud. 
During  three  hours  the  crew  worked  ineffectually,  trying  to 
back  the  steamer  off,  or  sinking  the  anchor  at  a distance  to 
drag  her  back  upon  it.  At  five  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  the 
sky  began  to  look  black  and  lowering,  and  presently  a vio- 
lent squall,  with  thunder  and  rain,  broke  upon  us.  The 
wind  did,  in  an  instant,  what  man  and  steam  together  had 
failed  to  do  in  hours.  As  the  squall  struck  the  steamer  on 
her  side,  she  vibrated,  veered  and  floated  free.  There  was 


N 


210 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


a general  stir  of  delight  at  this  sudden  and  unexpected 
liberation,  for  the  delay  was  serious  to  all.  One  or  two 
of  the  passengers  were  merchants,  to  whom  it  was  impor- 
tant to  meet  the  steamer  of  the  25th  at  Manaos,  which 
connects  with  other  steamers  all  along  the  coast ; and  the 
members  of  the  Spanish  scientific  commission,  if  they  could 
not  at  once  transfer  their  effects  to  the  other  steamer,  would 
not  only  miss  the  next  European  steamer,  but  must  be  at 
the  expense  and  care  of  storing  their  various  luggage  and 
maintaining  their  live  stock  at  Manaos  for  a fortnight. 
And  lastly,  to  Mr.  Agassiz  himself  it  was  a serious  disap- 
pointment to  lose  two  or  three  days  out  of  the  precious 
month  for  investigations  at  TeffA  Therefore,  every  face 
beamed  when  the  kindly  shock  of  the  wind  set  us  afloat 
again  ; but  the  work,  so  vainly  spent  to  release  us,  was 
but  too  efficient  in  keeping  us  prisoners.  The  anchor, 
which  had  been  sunk  in  the  mud  at  some  distance,  was  so 
deeply  buried  that  it  was  difficult  to  raise  it,  and  in  the  j 
effort  to  do  so  we  grounded  again.  Indeed,  environed 
as  we  were  by  mud  and  sand,  it  was  no  easy  matter  to 
find  a channel  out  of  them.  We  now  remained  motion- 
less all  night,  though  the  Captain  was  unremitting  in  his 
efforts  and  kept  the  men  at  work  till  morning,  when,  at 
about  seven  o’clock,  t)ie  boat  worked  herself  free  at  last, 
and  we  thought  our  troubles  fairly  over.  But  the  old  prov- 
erb “ There ’s  many  a slip  ’twixt  the  cup  and  the  lip”  never 
was  truer  ; on  starting  once  more  we  found  that,  in  the 
strain  and  shock  to  which  the  ship  had  been  submitted, 
the  rudder  was  broken.  In  view  of  this  new  disaster,  the 
passengers  for  Parfi  gave  up  all  hope  of  meeting  the 
steamer  at  Manaos,  and  the  rest  resigned  themselves  to 
waiting  with  such  philosophy  as  they  could  muster.  The 


LIFE  AT  MANAOS. 


211 


whole  of  that  day  and  the  following  night  were  spent  in 
rigging  np  a new  rudder,  and  it  was  not  until  eight  o’clock 
on  Sunday  morning  that  we  were  once  more  on  our  way, 
arriving  at  Teff6  at  eleven  o’clock. 


212 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

LIFE  IN  TEFFE. 

Aspect  op  Teffe.  — Situation.  — Description  of  Houses.  — Fishing  Excur- 
sion. — Astonishing  Variety  of  Fishes.  — Acara.  — Scarcity  of  Labor- 
ers.— Our  indoors  Man.  — Bruno.  — Alexandrina.  — Pleasant  Walks. 

— Mandioca-siied  in  the  Forest.  — Indian  Encampment  on  the 
Beach.  — Excursion  to  Fishing  Lodge  on  the  Solimoens.  — Amazonian 
Beaches.  — Breeding-Places  of  Turtles,  Fishes,  etc. — Adroitness  of 
Indians  in  finding  them.  — Description  of  a “Sitio.” — Indian  Clay- 
Eaters.  — Cuieira-Tree.  — Fish  Hunt.  — Forest  Lake.  — Water  Birds. 

— Success  in  collecting.  — Evening  Scene  in  Sitio.  — Alexandrina  as 
“aide  scientifique.” — Fish  Anecdote. — Relations  between  Fishes 
as  shown  by  their  Embryology.  — Note  upon  the  Marine  Character 
of  the  Amazonian  Faunae.  — Acara.  — News  from  the  Parties  in  the 
Interior.  — Return  of  Party  from  the  I9A.  — Preparations  for  De- 
parture. — Note  on  General  Result  of  Scientific  Work  in  Teffe. 

— Waiting  for  the  Steamer.  — Sketch  of  Alexandrina.  — Mocuim. 

— Thunder-Storm.  — Repiquete.  — Geological  Observations. 

September  27th.  — Of  all  the  little  settlements  we  have 
seen  on  the  Amazons,  Teffe  looks  the  most  smiling  and 
pleasant.  Just  now  the  town,  or,  as  it  should  rather  be 
called,  the  village,  stands,  as  I have  said,  above  a broad 
sand-beach  ; in  the  rainy  season,  however,  we  are  told  that 
the  river  covers  this  beach  completely,  and  even  encroaches 
on  the  fields  beyond,  coming  almost  to  the  threshold  of  some 
of  the  dwellings.  The  houses  are  generally  built  of  mud, 
plastered  over  and  roofed  with  tiles,  or.  thatched  with  palm. 
Almost  all  have  a little  ground  about  them,  enclosed  in  a 
picket  fence,  and  planted  with  orange-trees  and  different 
kinds  of  palms,  — Cocoa-nut,  Assais,  and  Pupunlias  or 
peach-palms.  The  latter  bears,  in  handsome  clusters,  a 
fruit  not  unlike  the  peach  in  size  and  coloring  ; it  has  a 
mealy  charactei  when  cooked,  and  is  very  palatable,  eaten 


LIFE  IN  TEFFE. 


213 


with  sugar.  The  green  hill  behind  the  town,  on  which 
cows  and  sheep  are  grazing,*  slopes  up  to  the  forest,  and 
makes  a pretty  background  to  the  picture.  In  approaching 
the  village,  many  little  inlets  of  the  lake  and  river  give 
promise  of  pleasant  canoe  excursions.  Through  our  friend 
Major  Coutinho  we  had  already  bespoken  lodgings,  and 
to-day  finds  us  as  comfortably  established  as  it  is  possible 
for  such  wayfarers  to  be.  Our  house  stands  on  an  open 
green  field,  running  down  to  the  water,  and  is  enclosed 
only  on  two  sides  by  buildings.  In  front,  it  commands  a 
pretty  view  of  the  beach  and  of  the  opposite  shore  across 
the  water.  Behind,  it  has  a little  open  ground  planted 
with  two  or  three  orange-trees,  surrounding  a turtle-tank, 
which  will  be  very  convenient  for  keeping  live  specimens. 
A well-stocked  turtle-tank  is  to  be  found  in  almost  every 
yard,  as  the  people  depend  largely  upon  turtles  for  their 
food.  The  interior  of  the  house  is  very  commodious.  On 
the  right  of  the  flagged  entry  is  a large  room  already 
transformed  into  a laboratory.  Here  are  numerous  kegs, 
cans,  and  barrels  for  specimens,  a swinging-shelf  to  keep 
birds  and  insects  out  of  the  way  of  the  ants,  a table  for 
drawing,  and  an  immense  empty  packing-case,  one  side 
of  which  serves  as  a table  for  cleaning  and  preparing 
birds,  while  the  open  space  beneath  makes  a convenient 
cupboard  for  keeping  the  instruments  and  materials  of 
one  sort  and  another,  used  in  the  process.  After  a little 

* It  is  a curious  fact,  that  though  a large  number  of  cows  were  owned  in 
Teffe,  and  were  constantly  seen  feeding  about  the  houses,  milk  was  among  the 
unattainable  luxuries.  Indeed,  milk  is  little  used  in  Brazil,  so  far  as  our 
observation  goes.  It  is  thought  unhealthy  for  children,  and  people  will 
rather  give  coffee  or  tea  to  a two-year-old  baby  than  pure  milk.  The  cows 
are  never  milked  regularly,  but  the  quantity  needed  for  the  moment  is  drawn 
at  any  time. 


214 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


practice  in  travelling  one  learns  to  improvise  the  conven 
iences  for  work  almost  without  the  accessories  which  seem 
indispensable  at  home.  Opposite  to  the  laboratory  on  the 
other  side  of  the  entry  is  a room  of  the  same  size,  where 


Veranda  and  Dining-room  at  Teffd. 


the  gentlemen  have  slung  their  hammocks  ; back  of  this  is 
my  room,  from  the  window  of  which,  looking  into  the  court 
behind,  1 get  a glimpse  of  some  lovely  Assai  palms  and  one 
or  two  orange-trees  in  full  flower ; adjoining  that  is  the 


LIFE  IN  TEFFE. 


215 


dining-room,  with  a large  closet  leading  out  of  it,  used 
as  a storage-place  for  alcohol,  and  serving  at  this  moment 
as  a prison-house  for  two  live  alligators  who  are  awaiting 
execution  there.  The  news  of  our  arrival  has  already 
gone  abroad,  and  the  fishermen  and  boys  of  the  village 
are  bringing  in  specimens  of  all  sorts,  — alligators,  turtles, 
fish,  insects,  birds.  Enough  is  already  gathered  to  show 
what  a rich  harvest  may  be  expected  in  this  neighborhood. 

September  28 tin.  — Yesterday  afternoon,  between  sunset 
and  moonlight,  our  neighbor  Dr.  Romualdo  invited  us  to  go 
with  him  and  his  friend  Senhor  Joao  da  Cunha  on  a fishing 
excursion  into  one  of  the  pretty  bayous  that  open  out  to  the 
lake.  As  our  canoe  entered  it,  lazy  alligators  were  lying 
about  in  the  still  glassy  water,  with  their  heads  just  resting 
above  the  surface  ; a tall,  gray  heron  stood  on  the  shore, 
as  if  watching  his  reflection,  almost  as  distinct  as  himself, 
and  a variety  of  water-birds  sailed  over  our  heads  as  we 
intruded  upon  their  haunts.  When  we  had  reached  a 
certain  point,  the  Indians,  sprang  up  to  their  necks  in  the 
water,  (which  was,  by  the  way,  unpleasantly  warm,)  and 
stretched  the  net.  After  a few  minutes,  they  dragged  it 
into  shore  with  a load  of  fish,  which  seemed  almost  as 
wonderful  as  Peter’s  miraculous  draught.  As  the  net  was 
landed  the  fish  broke  from  it  in  hundreds,  springing  through 
the  meshes  and  over  the  edges,  and  literally  covering  the 
beach.  The  Indians  are  very  skilful  in  drawing  the  net, 
going  before  it  and  lashing  the  water  with  long  rods  to 
frighten  the  fish  and  drive  them  in.  Senhor  da  Cunha, 
who  is  a very  ardent  lover  of  the  sport,  worked  as  hard 
as  any  of  the  boatmen,  plunging  into  the  water  to  lend 
a hand  at  the  net  or  drive  in  the  fish,  and,  when  the 
draught  was  landed  on  the  beach,  rushing  about  in  the 


216 


A JOUKNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


mud  to  catch  the  little  fishes  which  jumped  in  myriads 
through  the  meshes,  with  an  enthusiasm  equal  to  that 
of  Mr.  Agassiz  himself.  The  operation  was  repeated  sev- 
eral times,  always  with  the  same  success,  and  we  re- 
turned by  moonlight  with  a boat-load  of  fish,  which  Mr. 
Agassiz  is  examining  this  morning,  while  Mr.  Burkhardt 
makes  colored  drawings  of  the  rarer  specimens.  Here, 
as  elsewhere  in  the  Amazonian  waters,  the  variety  of 
species  is  bewildering.  The  collections  already  number 
more  than  four  hundred,  including  those  from  Para,  and, 
while  every  day  brings  in  new  species,  new  genera  are  by 
no  means  infrequent.  The  following  letter  to  Professor 
Milne  Edwards,  of  the  Jardin  des  Plantes,  gives  some  ac- 
count of  the  work  in  this  department. 

Teffe,  le  22  Septembre,  1865. 

Mon  cher  Ami  et  tres  honors  Confrere  : — Me  voici 
depuis  deux  mois  dans  le  bassin  de  l’Amazone  et  c’est 
ici  que  j’ai  eu  la  douleur  de  recevoir  la  nouvelle  de  la  mort 
de  mon  vieil  ami  Valenciennes.  J’en  suis  d’autant  plus 
affecte  que  personne  plus  que  lui  n’aurait  appreciO  les 
resultats  de  mon  voyage,  dont  je  me  rOjouissais  deja  de  lui 
faire  part  procliainement.  Vous  concevrez  naturellement 
que  c’est  a la  classe  des  poissons  que  je  consacre  la  meilleure 
partie  de  mon  temps  et  ma  recolte  excede  toutes  mes  pro- 
visions. Vous  en  jugerez  par  quelques  donnees.  En  at- 
teignant  Manaos,  a la  jonction  du  Rio  Negro  et  de  1’ Ama- 
zonas, j’avais  deja  recueilli  plus  de  trois  cents  especes  de 
poissons,  dont  la  moitie  au  moins  ont  ete  peintes  sur  le 
vivant  c.  a.  d.  d’apres  le  poisson  nageant  dans  un  grand 
vase  en  verre  devant  mon  dessinateur.  Je  suis  souvent 
peinO  de  voir  avec  quelle  legerete  on  a publie  des  planclies 
coloriees  de  ces  animaux.  Ce  n’est  pas  seulement  tripler 


LIFE  IN  TEFFE. 


217 


le  nombre  des  especes  connues,  je  compte  les  genres  nou- 
veaux  par  douzaines  et  j’ai  cinq  ou  six  families  nouvelles 
pour  l’Amazone  et  une  voisine  des  Gobioides  enticement 
nouvelle  pour  l’lchthyologie.  C’est  surtout  parmi  les  petites 
especes  que  je  trouve  le  .plus  de  nouveautds.  J’ai  des  Cha- 
racins  de  cinq  a six  centimetres  et  au-dessous,  ornds  des 
teintes  les  plus  Elegantes,  des  Cyprinodontes,  se  rapprochant 
un  peu  de  Geux  de  Cuba  et  des  Etats-Unis,  des  Scomberdso- 
ces  voisins  du  Belone  de  la  Mdditerrande,  un  nombre  consi- 
derable de  Carapoides,  des  Raies  de  genres  differents  de  ceux 
de  l’ocean,  et  qui  par  consequent  ne  sont  pas  des  especes 
qui  remontent  le  fleuve.  Une  foule  de  Goniodontes  et 
de  Chromides  de  genres  et  d’espCes  inddits.  Mais  ce  que 
j’apprdcie  surtout  c’est  la  facility  que  j’ai  d’etudier  les 
changements  que  tous  ces  poissons  subissent  avec  l’&ge  et 
les  differences  de  sexe  qui  existent  entr’eux  et  qui  sont 
souvent  tres  considerables.  C’est  ainsi  que  j’ai  observd 
une  espece  de  Geopliagus  dont  le  male  porte  sur  le 
front  une  bosse  tres-saillante  qui  manque  entiCement  a la 
femelle  et  aux  jeunes.  Ce  m§me  poisson  a un  mode  de 
reproduction  des  plus  extraordinaires.  Les  oeufs  passent, 
je  ne  sais  trop  comment,  dans  la  bouclie  dont  ils  tapissent 
le  fond,  entre  les  appendices  interieurs  des  arcs  brancliiaux 
et  surtout  dans  une  poclie  formee  par  les  pliaryngiens  su- 
p^rieurs  qu’ils  remplissent  completement.  La  ils  ^closent 
et  les  petits,  liber^s  de  leur  coque,  se  developpent  jusqu’a 
ce  qu’ils  soient  en  Cat  de  fournir  a leur  existence.  Je  ne 
sais  pas  encore  combien  de  temps  cela  va  durer  ; mais  j’ai 
ddja  rencontre  des  exemplaires  dont  les  jeunes  n’avaient 
plus  de  sac  vitellaire,  qui  hCergeaient  encore  leur  progCri- 
ture.  Comme  je  passerai  environ  un  mois  a TefF6,  j’espere 
pouvoir  completer  cette  observation.  L’examen  de  la 


218 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


structure  d’un  grand  nombre  de  Chromides  m’a  fait  en- 
trevoir  des  affinites  entre  ces  poissons  et  diverses  autres 
families  dont  on  lie  s’est  jamais  avise  de  les  rapproclier.  Et 
d’abord  je  me  suis  convaincu  que  les  Chromides,  rdpartis 
autrefois  parmi  les  Labroides  et  les  Scienoides,  constituent 
bien  reellement  un  groupe  naturel,  reconnu  a peu  pres  en 
meme  temps  et  d’une  maniere  indepen dante  par  Heckel  et 
J.  Muller.  Mais  il  y a plus ; les  genres  Enoplosus,  Pomotis, 
Centrarchus  et  quelques  autres  genres  voisins,  ranges 
parmi  les  Percoides  par  tous  les  Iclithyologistes,  me  pa- 
raissent,  d’ici  et  sans  moyen  de  comparaison  directe,  telle- 
ment  voisins  des  Chromides  que  je  ne  vois  pas  comment 
on  pourra  les  en  separer,  surtout  maintenant  que  je  sa,is 
que  les  pharyngiens  inferieurs  ne  sont  pas  toujours  soudes 
chez  les  Chromides.  Et  puis  l’embryologie  et  les  meta- 
morphoses des  Chromides  que  je  viens  d’dtudier  m’ont 
convaincu  que  les  “ Poissons  a brancliies  labyrinthiques  ” 
separes  de  tous  les  autres  poissons  par  Cuvier  comme  une 
famille  entierement  isolee,  a raison  de  la  structure  etrange 
de  ses  organes  respiratoires,  se  rattachent  de  tr&s-pr&s  aux 
Chromides.  Ce  groupe  devient  ainsi  par  ses  affinites  variees, 
l’un  des  plus  interessants  de  la  classe  des  poissons,  et  le 
bassin  de  l’Amazone  parait  etre  la  vraie  patrie  de  cette 
famille.  Je  ne  veux  pas  vous  fatiguer  de  mes  recherchos 
ichthyologiques  ; permettez  moi  seulement  d’ajouter  que 
les  poissons  ne  sont  point  uniformement  r6pandus  dans  ce 
grand  bassin.  Deja  j’ai  acquis  la  certitude  qu’il  faut  y 
distinguer  plusieurs  faunes  ichthyologiques,  tres-nettement 
characterises  ; c’est  ainsi  que  les  especes  qui  habitent  la 
riviere  du  Pard,  des  bords  de  la  mer  j usque  vers  l’embou- 
chure  du  Tocantins,  different  de  celles  que  Fon  rencontre 
dans  le-  rdseau  d’anastomoses  qui  unissent  la  riviere  de  Pard 


LIFE  IN  TEFFtf. 


219 


a PAmaione  propre.  Les  esp£ces  de  l’Amazone,  au-dessous 
du  Xingu,  different  de  celles  que  j’ai  rencontrdes  plus  haut ; 
celles  du  cours  inferieur  du  Xingu,  different  de  celles  du 
cours  infdrieur  du  Tapajos.  Celles  des  nombreux  igarapds 
et  lacs  de  Manaos  different  dgalement  de  celles  du  cours 
principal  du  grand  fleuve  et  de  ses  principaux  affluents. 
II  reste  maintenant  a dtudier  les  changements  qui  peuvent 
survenir  dans  cette  distribution,  dans  le  cours  de  l’annde, 
suivant  la  hauteur  des  eaux  et  peut-etre  aussi  suivant 
l’epoque  a laquelle  les  diffdrentes  espdces  pondent  leurs 
ceufs.  Jusqu’a  present  je  n’ai  rencontre  qu’un  petit 
nombre  d’especes  qui  aient  une  aire  de  distribution  tres 
dtendue.  C’est  ainsi  que  le  Sudis  gigas  se  trouve  a-peu- 
pres  partout.  C’est  le  poisson  le  plus  important  du  fleuve  ; 
celui  qui  comme  aliment  remplace  le  betail  pour  les  popula- 
tions riveraines.  Un  autre  probleme  a resoudre  c’est  de 
savoir  jusqu’a  quel  point  les  grands  affluents  de  l’Amazone 
rdpetent  ce  phdnomdne  de  la  distribution  locale  des  poissons. 
Je  vais  clierclier  a le  resoudre  en  remontant  le  Rio  Negro 
et  le  Rio  Madeira  et  comme  je  reviendrai  a Manaos,  je 
pourrai  comparer  mes  premieres  observations  dans  cette 
localite,  avec  celles  d’une  autre  saison  de  l’annee.  Adieu, 
mon  cher  ami.  Veuillez  faire  mes  amities  a M.  Elie  de 
Beaumont  et  me  rappeler  aux  bons  souvenirs  de  ceux  de 
mes  collegues  de  l’Acad^mie  qui  veulent  bien  s’intdresser  a 
mes  travaux  actuels.  Faites  aussi,  je  vous  prie,  mes  amities 
a M.  votre  fils. 

Tout  £L  vous, 

L.  Agassiz.* 

* Teffb,  September  22,  1865. 

My  dear  Friend  and  honored  Colleague  : — Here  I have  been  for 
two  months  in  the  basin  of  the  Amazons,  and  it  is  here  that  I have  heard 
with  sorrow  of  the  death  of  my  old  friend  Valenciennes.  I am  the  more 


220 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Mr.  Agassiz  has  already  secured  quite  a number  of  tlid 
singular  type  of  Acara,  which  carries  its  young  in  its  mouth, 

affected  by  it,  because  no  one  would  have  appreciated  more  than  he  the 
results  of  my  journey,  which  I had  hoped  soon  to  share  with  him.  You 
will  naturally  understand  that  it  is  to  the  class  of  fishes  I consecrate  the 
better  part  of  my  time,  and  my  harvest  exceeds  all  my  anticipations.  You 
will  judge  of  it  by  a few  statements. 

On  reaching  Manaos,  at  the  junction  of  the  Rio  Negro  and  the  Amazons, 
I had  already  collected  more  than  three  hundred  species  of  fishes,  half  of 
which  have  been  painted  from  life,  that  is,  from  the  fish  swimming  in  a 
large  glass  tank  before  my  artist.  I am  often  pained  to  see  how  carelessly 
colored  plates  of  these  animals  have  been  published.  Not  only  have  we  tripled 
the  number  of  species,  but  I count  new  genera  by  dozens,  and  I have  five  or 
six  new  families  for  the  Amazons,  and  one  allied  to  the  Gobioides  entirely 
new  to  Ichthyology.  Among  the  small  species  especially  I have  found  nov- 
elties. I have  Characines  of  five  or  six  centimetres  and  less,  adorned  with 
the  most  beautiful  tints,  Cyprinodonts  resembling  a little  those  of  Cuba  and 
the  United  States,  Scomberesoces  allied  to  the  Belone  of  the  Mediterranean, 
a considerable  number  of  Carapoides,  and  Rays  of  different  genera  from  those 
of  the  ocean,  and  therefore  not  species  which  ascend  the  river ; and  a crowd 
of  Goniodonts  and  Chromides  of  unpublished  genera  and  species.  But  what 
I appreciate  most  highly  is  the  facility  I have  for  studying  the  changes  which 
all  these  fishes  undergo  with  age  and  the  differences  of  sex  among  them ; which 
are  often  very  considerable.  Thus  I have  observed  a species  of  Geophagus  in 
which  the  male  has  a very  conspicuous  protuberance  on  the  forehead,  wholly 
wanting  in  the  female  and  the  young.  This  same  fish  has  a most  extraordi- 
nary mode  of  reproduction.  The  eggs  pass,  I know  not  how,  into  the  mouth, 
the  bottom  of  which  is  lined  by  them,  between  the  inner  appendages  of  the 
branchial  arches,  and  especially  into  a pouch,  formed  by  the  uppor  pharyngials, 
which  they  completely  fill.  There  they  are  hatched,  and  the  little  ones,  freed 
from  the  egg-case,  are  developed  until  they  are  in  a condition  to  provide  for 
their  own  existence.  I do  not  yet  know  how  long  this  continues  ; but  I have 
already  met  with  specimens  whose  young  had  no  longer  any  vitelline  sac,  but 
were  still  harbored  by  the  progenitor.  As  I shall  still  pass  a month  at  Teffe 
I hope  to  be  able  to  complete  this  observation.  The  examination  of  the  struc- 
ture of  a great  number  of  Chromides  has  led  me  to  perceive  the  affinities  be- 
tween these  fishes  and  several  other  families  with  which  we  have  never  thought 
of  associating  them.  In  the  first  place,  I have  convinced  myself  that  the  Chro- 
mides, formerly  scattered  among  the  Labroides  and  the  Sciaenoides,  really  con- 
stitute a natural  group  recognized  nearly  at  the  same  time  and  in  an  indepen- 


LIFE  IN  TEFF& 


221 


and  he  has  gathered  a good  deal  of  information  about  its 
habits.  The  fishermen  here  say  that  this  mode  of  caring 

dent  manner  by  Heckel  and  J.  Muller.  But,  beside  these,  there  are  the  genera 
Enoplosus,  Pomotis,  Centrarchus,  and  some  other  neighboring  genera,  classed 
among  the  Percoids  by  all  Ichthyologists,  which  seem  to  me,  from  this  distance 
and  without  means  of  direct  comparison,  so  near  the  Chromides  that  I do  not 
see  how  they  can  be  separated,  especially  now  that  I know  the  lower  pharyn- 
gials  not  to  be  invariably  soldered  in  the  Chromides.  And  then  the  embryol- 
ogy and  metamorphoses  of  the  Chromides,  which  I have  just  been  studying, 
have  convinced  me  that  the  fishes  with  labyrinthic  branchiae,  separated  from  all 
other  fishes  by  Cuvier,  as  a family  entirely  isolated  on  account  of  the  strange 
structure  of  its  respiratory  organs,  are  closely  related  to  the  Chromides.  Thus 
this  group  becomes,  by  its  various  affinities,  one  of  the  most  interesting  of  the 
class  of  fishes,  and  the  basin  of  the  Amazons  seems  to  be  the  true  home  of  this 
family.  I will  not  fatigue  you  with  my  ichthyological  researches  ; let  me  only 
add,  that  the  fishes  are  not  uniformly  spread  over  this  great  basin.  I have 
already  acquired  the  certainty  that  we  must  distinguish  several  ichthyological 
faunae  very  clearly  characterized.  Thus  the  species  inhabiting  the  river  of 
Para,  from  the  borders  of  the  sea  to 'the  mouth  of  the  Tocantins,  differ  from 
those  which  are  met  in  the  network  of  anastomoses  uniting  the  river  of  Para 
with  the  Amazons  proper.  The  species  of  the  Amazons  below  the  Xingu 
differ  from  those  which  occur  higher  up ; those  of  the  lower  course  of  the 
Xingu  differ  from  those  of  the  lower  course  of  the  Tapajoz.  Those  of  the 
numerous  igarapes  and  lakes  of  Manaos  differ  as  much  from  those  of  the 
principal  course  of  the  great  river  and  of  its  great  affluents.  It  remains  now 
to  study  the  changes  which  may  take  place  in  this  distribution  in  the  course 
of  the  year,  according  to  the  height  of  the  waters,  and  perhaps  also  accord- 
ing to  the  epoch  at  which  the  different  species  lay  their  eggs.  Thus  far  I 
have  met  but  a small  number  of  species  having  a very  extensive  area  of  d;s- 
tribution.  One  of  those  is  the  Sudis  gigas,  found  almost  everywhere.  It  J 
the  most  important  fish  of  the  river,  that  which,  as  food,  corresponds  to  cattle 
for  the  population  along  the  banks.  Another  problem  to  be  solved  is,  how  far 
this  phenomenon  of  the  local  distribution  of  fishes  is  repeated  in  the  great 
affluents  of  the  Amazons.  I shall  try  to  solve  it  in  ascending  the  Rio  Negro 
and  Rio  Madeira,  and  as  I return  to  Manaos  I shall  be  able  to  compare  my 
first  observations  in  this  locality  with  those  of  another  season  of  the  year. 
Adieu,  my  dear  friend.  Remember  me  to  M.  Elie  de  Beaumont  and  to  those 
of  my  colleagues  of  the  Academy  who  are  interested  in  my  present  studies. 
My  kind  remembrance  also  to  your  son. 


Always  yours, 


L.  Agassiz 


222 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


for  the  young  prevails  more  or  less  in  -all  the  family  of 
Acara.  They  are  not  all  born  there,  however ; some  lay 
their  eggs  in  the  sand,  and,  hovering  over  their  nest, 
take  up  the  little  ones  in  their  mouth,  when  they  are 
hatched.  The  fishermen  also  add,  that  these  fish  do  not 
always  keep  their  young  in  the  mouth,  but  leave  them 
sometimes  in  the  nest,  taking  them  up  only  on  the  approach 
of  danger.* 

* We  found  that  this  information  was  incorrect,  at  least  for  some  species,  as 
will  be  seen  hereafter.  I let  the  statement  stand  in  the  text,  however,  as  an 
instance  of  the  difficulty  one  has  in  getting  correct  facts,  and  the  danger  of 
trusting  to  the  observations  even  of  people  who  mean  to  tell  the  real  truth.  No 
doubt  some  of  these  Acaras  do  occasionally  de’posit  their  young  in  the  sand, 
and  continue  a certain  care  of  them  till  they  are  able  to  shift  for  themselves. 
But  the  story  of  the  fisherman  was  one  of  those  half  truths  as  likely  to  mislead, 
as  if  it  had  been  wholly  false.  I will  add  here  a few  details  concerning  these 
Acaras,  a name  applied  by  the  natives  to  all  the  oval-shaped  Chromides.  The 
species  which  lay  their  eggs  in  the  sand  belong  to  the  genera  Hydrogonus  and 
Chaetobranchus.  Like  the  North  American  Pomotis,  they  build  a kind  of  flat 
nest  in  the  sand  or  mud,  in  which  they  deposit  their  eggs,  hovering  over  them 
until  the  young  are  hatched.  The  species  which  carry  their  young  in  the 
mouth  belong  to  several  genera,  formerly  all  included  under  the  name  of 
Geophagus  by  Heckel.  I could  not  ascertain  how  the  eggs  are  brought  into 
the  mouth,  but  the  change  must  take  place  soon  after  they  are  laid,  for  I have 
found  in  that  position  eggs  in  which  the  embryo  had  just  begun  its  develop- 
ment as  well  as  those  in  a more  advanced  stage  of  growth.  Occasionally,  in- 
stead of  eggs,  I have  found  the  cavity  of  the  gills,  as  also  the  space  enclosed  by 
the  branchiostegal  membrane,  filled  with  a brood  of  young  already  hatched. 
The  eggs  before  hatching  are  always  found  in  the  same  part  of  the  mouth, 
namely,  in  the  upper  part  of  the  branchial  arches,  protected  or  held  together  by 
a special  lobe  or  valve  formed  of  the  upper  pharyngeals.  The  cavity  thus  oc- 
cupied by  the  eggs  corresponds  exactly  to  the  labyrinth  of  that  curious  family 
. of  fishes  inhabiting  the  East  Indian  Ocean,  called  Labyrinthici  by  Cuvier.  This 
circumstance  induces  me  to  believe  that  the  branchial  labyrinth  of  the  eastern 
fishes  may  be  a breeding  pouch,  like  that  of  our  Chromides,  an<l  not  simply  a 
respiratory  apparatus  for  retaining  water.  In  the  Amazonian  fish  a very  sen- 
sitive network  of  nerves  spreads  over  this  marsupial  pouch,  the  principal  stem 
of  which  arises  from  a special  nervous  ganglion,  back  of  the  cerebellum,  in  the 


LIFE  IN  TEFFlL 


223 


Our  household  is  now  established  on  a permanent  basis. 
We  had  at  first  some  difficulty  in  finding  servants  ; at  this 
fishing  season,  when  the  men  are  going  off  to  dry  and  salt 
fish,  and  when  the  season  for  hunting  turtle-eggs  and 
making  turtle-butter  is  coming  on,  the  town  is  almost 
deserted  by  the  men.  It  is  like  haying-time  in  the  coun- 
try, when  every  arm  is  needed  in  the  fields.  Then  the 
habits  of  the  Indians  are  so  irregular,  and  they  care  so 
little  for  money,  finding,  as  they  do,  the  means  of  living 
almost  without  work  immediately  about  them,  that  even 
if  one  does  engage  a servant,  he  is  likely  to  disappear 
the  next  day.  An  Indian  will  do  more  for  good-will  and 
a glass  of  cachaga  (rum)  than  he  will  do  for  wages,  which 
are  valueless  to  him.  The  individual,  who  has  been  sup- 
plying the  place  of  indoors  man  while  we  have  been  looking 
for  a servant,  is  so  original  in  his  appearance  that  he 
deserves  a special  description.  He  belongs  to  a neighbor 
who  has  undertaken  to  provide  our  meals,  and  he  brings 
them  when  they  are  prepared  and  waits  on  the  table. 
He  is  rather  an  elderly  Indian,  and  his  dress  consists  of 
a pair  of  cotton  drawers,  originally  white,  but  now  of 
many  hues  and  usually  rolled  up  to  the  knees,  his  feet 
being  bare  ; the  upper  part  of  his  person  is  partially 

medulla  oblongata.  This  region  of  the  central  nervous  system  is  strangely 
developed  in  different  families  of  fishes,  and  sends  out  nerves  performing  very 
varied  functions.  From  it  arise,  normally,  the  nerves  of  movement  and  sensa- 
tion about  the  face ; it  also  provides  the  organs  of  breathing,  the  upper  part 
of  the  alimentary  canal,  the  throat  and  the  stomach.  In  the  electric  fishes  the 
great  nerves  entering  the  electric  battery  arise  from  the  same  cerebral  region, 
and  now  I have  found  that  the  pouch  in  which  the  egg  of  the  Acara  is  in- 
cubated and  its  young  nursed  for  a time,  receives  its  nerves  from  the  same 
source.  This  series  of  facts  is  truly  wonderful,  and  only  shows  how  far  our 
science  still  is  from  an  apprehension  of  the  functions  of  the  nervous  sys- 
tem. — L.  A. 


224 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


(very  partially)  concealed  by  a blue  rag,  which  I suppose 
in  some  early  period  of  the  world’s  history  must  have  been 
a shirt ; this  extraordinary  figure  is  surmounted  by  an  old 
straw  hat  full  of  holes,  bent  in  every  direction,  and  tied 
under  the  chin  by  a red  string.  Had  he  not  been  a tem- 
porary substitute,  we  should  have  tried  to  obtain  a more 
respectable  livery  for  him ; but  to-day  he  gives  place  to  an 
Indian  lad,  Bruno  by  name,  who  presents  a more  decent 
appearance,  though  he  seems  rather  bewildered  by  his  new 
office.  At  present  his  idea  of  waiting  on  the  table  seems 
to  be  to  sit  on  the  floor  and  look  at  us  while  we  eat.  How- 
ever, we  hope  to  break  him  in  gradually.  He  looks  as  if 
he  had  not  been  long  redeemed  from  the  woods,  for  his 
face  is  deeply  tattooed  with  black,  and  his  lips  and  nose 
are  pierced  with  holes,  reminding  one  of  the  becoming 
vanities  he  has  renounced  in  favor  of  civilization.*  Be- 
sides Bruno  we  have  a girl,  Alexaudrina  by  name,  who, 
by  her  appearance,  has  a mixture  of  Indian  and  black  blood 
in  her  veins.  She  promises  very  well,  and  seems  to  have 
the  intelligence  of  the  Indian  with  the  greater  pliability 
of  the  negro. 

September  29$.  — One  of  the  great  charms  of  our  resi- 
dence here  is,  that  we  have  so  many  pleasant  walks  within 
easy  reach.  My  favorite  walk  in  the  early  morning  is  to 
the  wood  on  the  brow  of  the  hill.  From  the  summit,  the 
sunrise  is  lovely  over  the  village  below,  the  lake  with  its 
many  picturesque  points  and  inlets,  and  the  forests  on  the 
opposite  shores.  From  this  spot  a little  path  through  the 
bushes  brings  one  at  once  into  a thick,  beautiful  wood. 

* It  is  a very  general  habit  among  the  South  American  Indians  to  pierce 
the  nose,  ears,  and  lips  with  holes,  in  which  they  hang  pieces  of  wood  and 
feathers,  as  ornaments. 


LIFE  IN  TEFFfe. 


225 


Here  one  may  wander  at  will,  for  there  are  a great  many 
paths,  worn  by  the  Indians,  through  the  trees  ; and  one 
is  constantly  tempted  on  by  the  cool,  pleasant  shade,  and 
by  the  perfume  of  moss  and  fern  and  flower.  The  forest 
here  is  full  of  life  and  sound.  The  buzz  of  insects,  the 
shrill  cry  of  the  cicadas,  the  chattering  talk  of  the  papagaios, 
and  occasionally  busy  voices  of  the  monkeys,  make  the 
woods  eloquent.  The  monkeys  are,  however,  very  difficult 
of  approach,  and  though  I hear  them  often,  I have  not  yet 
seen  them  on  the  trees  ; but  Mr.  Hunnewell  told  me  that 
the  other  day,  when  shooting  in  this  very  wood,  he  came 
upon  a family  of  small  white  monkeys  sitting  on  a bough 
together,  and  talking  with  much  animation.  One  of  the 
prettiest  of  the  paths,  with  which  my  daily  walks  made 
me  familiar,  leads  over  an  igarap6  to  a house,  or  rather 
to  a large  thatched  shed,  in  the  forest,  used  for  preparing 
mandioca.  It  is  supplied  with  four  large  clay  ovens, 
having  immense  shallow  pans  fitted  on  to  the  top,  with 
troughs  for  kneading,  sieves  for  straining,  and  all  the 
apparatus  for  the  various  processes  to  which  the  mandioca 
is  subjected.  One  utensil  is  very  characteristic  ; the  large, 
empty  turtle-shells,  which  may  be  seen  in  every  kitchen, 
used  as  basins,  bowls,  &c.  I suppose  this  little  establish- 
ment is  used  by  a number  of  persons,  for  in  my  morning 
walks  I always  meet  troops  of  Indians  going  to  it,  the 
women  with  their  deep  working  baskets,  — something  like 
the  Swiss  “ hotte,”  — in  which  they  carry  their  tools,  on 
their  backs,  supported  by  a straw  band  fastened  across 
the  forehead,  and  their  babies  astride  on  their  hips,  so  as 
to  leave  their  hands  perfectly  free.  They  always  give  me  a 
cordial  morning  greeting  and  stop  to  look  at  the  plants  and 
flowers  with  which  I am  usually  laden.  Some  of  the  women 
10* 


o 


226 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


are  quite  pretty,  but  as  a general  thing  the  Indians  in  this 
part  of  the  country  do  not  look  very  healthy,  and  are  apt  to 
have  diseases  of  the  eyes  and  skin.  It  is  a curious  thing 
that  the  natives  seem  more  liable  to  the  maladies  of  the 
country  than  strangers.  They  are  very  subject  to  inter- 
mittent fevers,  and  one  often  sees  Indians  worn  to  mere 
skin  and  bone  by  this  terrible  scourge. 

If  the  morning  walk  in  the  woods  is  delightful,  the  even- 
ing stroll  on  the  beach  in  front  of  the  house  is  no  less  so, 
when  the  water  is  dyed  in  the  purple  sunset,  and  the  quiet 
of  the  scene  is  broken  here  and  there  by  a fire  on  the  sands, 
around  which  a cluster  of  Indians  are  cooking  their  supper. 
As  Major  Coutinho  and  I were  walking  on  the  shore  last 
evening  we  came  on  such  a group.  They  were  a family 
who  had  come  over  from  their  home  on  the  other  side 
of  the  lake,  with  a boat-load  of  fish  and  turtle  to  sell 
in  the  village.  When  they  have  disposed  of  their  cargo, 
they  build  their  fire  on  the  beach,  eat  their  supper  of 
salted  or  broiled  fish,  farinha,  and  the  nuts  of  a particu- 
lar kind  of  palm  (Atalea),  and  then  sleep  in  their  canoe. 
We  sat  down  with  them,  and,  that  they  should  not  think 
we  came  merely  out  of  curiosity,  we  shared  their  nuts 
and  farinha,  and  they  were  soon  very  sociable.  I am  con- 
stantly astonished  at  the  frank  geniality  of  these  people, 
so  different  from  our  sombre,  sullen  Indians,  who  are  so 
unwilling  to  talk  with  strangers.  The  cordiality  of  their 
reception,  however,  depends  very  much  on  the  way  in 
which  they  are  accosted.  Major  Coutinho,  who  has  passed 
years  among  them,  understands  their  character  well,  and 
has  remarkable  tact  in  his  dealings  with  them.  He  speaks 
their  language  a little  also,  and  this  is  important  here 
where  many  of  the  Indians  speak  only  the  “ lingua  geral.” 


LIFE  IN  TEFFE. 


227 


This  was  the  case  with  several  of  the  family  whose  ac- 
quaintance we  made  last  evening,  though  some  of  them 
talked  in  Portuguese  fluently  enough,  telling  us  about 
their  life  in  the  forest,  their  success  in  disposing  of  their 
fish  and  turtle,  and  inviting  us  to  come  to  their  house. 
They  pointed  out  to  us  one  of  the  younger  girls,  who 
they  said  had  never  been  baptized,  and  they  seemed  to 
wish  to  have  the  rite  performed.  Major  Coutinho  promised 
to  speak  to  the  priest  about  it  for  them.  So  far  as  we  can 
learn,  the  white  population  do  little  to  civilize  the  Indians 
beyond  giving  them  the  external  rites  of  religion.  It  is  the 
old  sad  story  of  oppression,  duplicity,  and  license  on  the 
part  of  the  white  man,  which  seems  likely  to  last  as  long 
as  skins  shall  differ,  and  which  necessarily  ends  in  the 
degradation  of  both  races. 

October  kth.  - — On  Saturday  morning  at  four  o’clock,  Ma- 
jor Coutinho,  Mr.  Agassiz,  and  myself  left  Tefl£  in  company 
with  our  neighbor  and  landlord  Major  Estolano,  on  our  way 
to  his  “sitio,”  a rough  sort  of  Indian  lodge  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Solimoens,  where  he  goes  occasionally  with 
his  family  to  superintend  the  drying  and  salting  of  fish, 
a great  article  of  commerce  here.  It  had  rained  heavily 
all  night,  but  the  stars  were  bright,  and  the  morning  was 
cool  and  fresh  when  we  put  off  in  the  canoe.  When  we 
issued  from  Teffg  lake  it  was  already  broad  day,  and  by 
the  time  we  entered  the  Solimoens  we  began  to  have 
admonitions  that  breakfast-time  was  approaching.  There 
is  something  very  pleasant  in  these  improvised  meals  ; the 
coffee  tastes  better  when  you  have  made  it  yourself,  setting 
up  the  coffee-machine  under  the  straw-roof  of  the  canoe, 
dipping  up  the  water  from  the  river  over  the  side  of  the 
boat,  and  cooking  your  own  breakfast.  One  would  think 


228 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


it  a great  bore  at  home,  with  all  the  necessary  means  and 
appliances  ; but  with  the  stimulus  of  difficulty  and  the 
excitement  of  the  journey  it  is  quite  pleasant,  and  gives 
a new  relish  to  ordinary  fare.  After  we  had  had  a 
cup  of  hot  coffee  and  a farinha  biscuit,  being  somewhat 
cramped  with  sitting  in  the  canoe,  we  landed  for  a walk 
on  a broad  beach  along  which  we  were  coasting.  There 
is  much  to  be  learned  on  these  Amazonian  beaches ; they 
are  the  haunts  and  breeding-places  of  many  different  kinds 
of  animals,  and  are  covered  by  tracks  of  alligators,  tur- 
tles, and  capivari.  Then  there  are  the  nests,  not  only  of 
alligators  and  turtles,  but  of  the  different  kind  of  fishes 
and  birds  that  lay  their  eggs  in  the  mud  or  sand.  It  is 
curious  to  see  the  address  of  the  Indians  in  finding  the 
turtle-nests  ; they  walk  quickly  over  the  sand,  but  with 
a sort  of  inquiring  tread,  as  if  they  carried  an  instinctive 
perception  in  their  step,  and  the  moment  they  set  their 
foot  upon  a spot  below  which  eggs  are  deposited,  though 
there  is  no  external  evidence  to  the  eye,  they  recognize 
it  at  once,  and,  stooping,  dig  straight  down  to  the  eggs, 
generally  eight  or  ten  inches  under  the  surface.  Besides 
these  tracks  and  nests,  there  are  the  rounded,  shallow 
depressions  in  the  mud,  which  the  fishermen  say  are  the 
sleeping-places  of  the  skates.  They  have  certainly  about 
the  form  and  size  of  the  skate,  and  one  can  easily  believe 
that  these  singular  impressions  in  the  soft  surface  have 
been  made  in  this  way.  The  vegetation  on  these  beaches 
is  not  less  interesting  than  these  signs  of  animal  life.  In 
the  rainy  season  more  than  half  a mile  of  land,  now  un- 
covered along  the  margins  of  the  river,  is  entirely  under 
water,  the  river  rising  not  only  to  the  edge  of  the  forest, 
but  penetrating  far  into  it.  At  this  time  of  the  year, 


LIFE  IN  TEFFE. 


229 


however,  the  shore  consists,  first  of  the  beach,  then  of  a 
broad  band  of  tall  grasses,  beyond  which  are  the  lower 
shrubs  and  trees,  leading  up,  by  a sort  of  gradation,  to 
the  full  forest  growth.  During  this  dry  season  the  vege- 
tation makes  an  effort  to  recover  its  lost  ground  ; one  sees 
the  little  Imbauba  (Cecropia)  and  a kind  of  willow-tree 
(Salix  humboldiana),  the  only  familiar  plant  we  met, 
springing  up  on  the  sand,  and  creeping  down  to  the 
water’s  edge,  only  to  be  destroyed  again  with  the  next 
rise  of  the  river.  While  we  were  walking,  the  boatmen 
were  dragging  the  net,  and  though  not  with  such  astonish- 
ing success  as  the  other  day,  yet  it  landed  not  only  an  ample 
supply  of  fresh  fish  for  breakfast,  but  also  a number  of  in- 
teresting specimens.  At  about  eleven  o’clock  we  turned 
from  the  Solimoens  into  the  little  river  on  which  Mr.  Esto- 
lano’s  fishing-lodge  is  situated,  and  in  a few  minutes  found 
ourselves  at  the  pretty  landing,  where  a rough  flight  of  steps 
led  up  to  the  house.  In  this  climate  a very  slight  shelter 
will  serve  as  a house.  Such  a dwelling  is-  indeed  nothing 
but  a vast  porch  ; and  a very  airy,  pleasant,  and  picturesque 
abode  it  makes.  A palm- thatched  roof  to  shed  the  rain  and 
keep  off  the  sun,  covering  a platform  of  split  logs  that  one 
may  have  a dry  floor  under  foot ; these,  with  plenty  of  posts 
and  rafters  for  the  swinging  of  hammocks,  are  the  essentials. 
It  was  somewhat  after  this  fashion  that  Major  Estolano’s  lodge 
was  built.  The  back  part  of  it  consisted  of  one  very  large, 
high  chamber,  to  which  the  family  retired  in  the  hottest  part 
of  the  day,  when  the  sun  was  most  scorching ; all  the  rest 
was  roof  and  platform,  the  latter  stretching  out  considerably 
beyond  the  former,  thus  leaving  an  open  floor  on  one  side 
for  the  stretching  and  drying  of  fish.  The  whole  structure 
was  lifted  on  piles  about  eight  feet  above  the  ground,  to 


230 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


provide  against  the  rising  of  the  river  in  the  rainy  season. 
In  front  of  the  house,  just  on  the  edge  of  the  bank,  were 
several  large,  open,  thatched  sheds,  used  as  kitchen  and 
living-rooms  for  the  negroes  and  Indians  employed  in  the 
preparation  of  the  fish.  In  one  of  these  rooms  were  several 
Indian  women  who  looked  very  ill.  We  were  told  they  had 
been  there  for  two  months,  and  they  were  worn  to  skin  and 
bone  with  intermittent  fever.  Major  Coutinho  said  they 
were,  no  doubt,  suffering  in  part  from  the  habit  so  preva- 
lent among  these  people  of  eating  clay  and  dirt,  for  which 
they  have  a morbid  love.  They  were  wild-looking  crea- 
tures, lying  in  their  hammocks  or  squatting  on  the  ground, 
often  without  any  clothes,  and  moaning  as  if  in  pain.  They 
were  from  the  forest,  and  spoke  no  Portuguese. 

We  were  received  most  cordially  by  the  ladies  of  the 
family,  who  had  gone  up  to  the  lodge  the  day  before,  and 
were  offered  the  refreshment  of  a hammock,  the  first  act 
of  hospitality  in  this  country,  when  one  arrives  from  any 
distance.  After  this  followed  an  excellent  breakfast  of  the 
fresh  fish  we  had  brought  with  us,  cooked  in  a variety  of 
ways,  broiled,  fried,  and  boiled.  The  repast  was  none  the 
less  appetizing  that  it  was  served  in  picnic  fashion,  the  cloth 
being  laid  on  the  floor,  upon  one  of  the  large  palm-mats, 
much  in  use  here  to  spread  over  the  uncarpeted  brick  floors 
or  under  the  hammocks.  For  several  hours  after  breakfast 
the  heat  was  intense,  and  we  could  do  little  but  rest  in  the 
shade,  though  Mr.  Agassiz,  who  works  at  all  hours  if  speci- 
mens are  on  hand,  was  busy  in  making  skeletons  of  some 
fish  too  large  to  be  preserved  in  alcohol.  Towards  evening 
it  grew  cooler,  and  we  walked  in  the  banana  plantation  near 
the  house,  and  sat  under  an  immense  gourd-tree  on  the 
bank,  which  made  a deep  shade ; for  it  was  clothed  not  only 


LIFE  IN  TEFF& 


231 


by  its  own  foliage,  but  the  branches  were  covered  with  para- 
sites, and  with  soft,  dark  moss,  in  contrast  with  which  the 
lighter  green,  glossy  fruit  seemed  to  gain  new  lustre.  I call 
it  a gourd-tree,  simply  from  the  use  to  which  the  fruit  is 
put.  But  it  goes  here  by  the  name  of  the  Cuieira-tree 
(Crescentia  Cajeput),  the  cup  made  from  the  fruit  being 
called  a Cuia.  The  fruit  is  spherical,  of  a light  green, 
shiny  surface,  and  grows  from  the  size  of  an  apple  to  that 
of  the  largest  melon.  It  is  filled  with  a soft,  white  pulp, 
easily  removed  when  the  fruit  is  cut  in  halves  ; the  rind  is 
then  allowed  to  dry.  Very  pretty  cups  and  basins,  of 
many  sizes,  are  made  in  this  way  ; and  the  Indians,  who 
understand  how  to  prepare  a variety  of  very  brilliant  colors, 
are  very  skilful  in  painting  them.  It  would  seem  that  the 
art  of  making  colors  is  of  ancient  date  among  the  Ama- 
zonian Indians,  for  in  the  account  of  Francisco  Orellana’s 
journey  down  the  Amazons  in  1541,  “ the  two  fathers  of  the 
expedition  declare  that  in  this  voyage  they  found  all  the 
people  to  be  both  intelligent  and  ingenious,  which  was  shown 
by  the  works  which  they  performed  in  sculpture  and  painting 
in  bright  colors.”  * Their  paints  are  prepared  from  a par- 
ticular kind  of  clay  and  from  the  juices  of  several  plants 
which  have  coloring  properties.  In  an  Amazonian  cottage 
one  hardly  sees  any  utensils  for  the  table  except  such  as  the 
Indians  have  prepared  and  ornamented  themselves  from  the 
fruits  of  the  Cuieira-tree.  I longed  to  extend  my  walk  into 
the  woods  which  surrounded  us  on  all  sides ; but  the  forest 
is  very  tantalizing  here,  so  tempting  and  so  impenetrable. 
The  ladies  told  me  there  were  no  paths  cut  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  house. 

* bee  “ Expeditions  into  the  Valley  of  the  Amazons,”  published  by  the 
Hakluyt  Society. 


232 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


The  next  morning  we  were  off  early  in  the  canoes  on 
a fish  hunt ; I call  it  a hunt  advisedly,  for  the  fish  are  the 
captives  of  the  bow  and  spear,  not  of  the  net  and  line. 
The  Indians  are  very  adroit  in  shooting  the  larger  fish 
with  the  bow  and  arrow,  and  in  harpooning  some  of  the 
veritable  monsters  of  their  rivers,  such  as  the  Peixe-boi 
(“fish-cow”),  Manatee  or  Dugon,  with  the  spear.  We 
made  two  parties  this  morning,  some  of  us  going  in  the 
larger  canoe  to  drag  a forest  lake  with  the  net,  while  some 
of  the  fishermen  took  a smaller,  lighter  boat,  to  be  able  to 
approach  their  larger  prey.  Our  path  lay  through  a pretty 
igarape,  where,  for  the  first  time,  I saw  monkeys  in  a tree 
by  the  water-side.  On  coming  to  the  Amazons  we  expect 
to  see  monkeys  as  frequently  as  squirrels  are  seen  at  home  ; 
but,  though  very  numerous,  they  are  so  shy  that  one  rarely 
gets  a fair  view  of  them.  After  an  hour’s  row  we  landed 
at  a little  point  jutting  out  into  the  water,  and  went  through 
the  forest,  the  men  cutting  the  way  before  us,  clearing  the 
path  of  branches,  fallen  trees,  and  parasitic  vines  which 
obstructed  it.  I was  astonished  to  see  the  vigor  and 
strength  with  which  Dona  Maria,  the  mother-in-law  of  our 
host,  made  her  way  through  the  tangled  trees,  helping 
to  free  the  road,  and  lopping  off  branches  with  her  great 
wood-knife.  We  imagine  all  the  ladies  in  this  warm 
country  to  be  very  indolent  and  languid ; and  in  the  cities, 
as  a general  thing,  their  habits  are  much  less  vigorous  than 
those  of  our  women.  But  here,  in  the  Upper  Amazons,  the 
women  who  have  been  brought  up  in  the  country  and  in 
the  midst  of  the  Indians  are  often  very  energetic,  bearing  a 
hand  at  the  oar  or  the  fishing-net  with  the  strength  of  a 
man.  A short  walk  brought  us  out  upon  a shallow  forest 
lake,  or,  as  the  Indians  call  it,  “ round  water.”  The  Indian 


LIFE  IN  TEFFE. 


233 


names  are  often  very  significant.  I have  mentioned  the 
meaning  of  igarap6,  “ boat  path  ” ; to  this,  when  they  wish 
to  indicate  its  size  more  exactly,  they  affix  either  the  word 
“assii”  (large)  or  “miriin”  (small).  But  an  igarap6, 
whether  large  or  small,  is  always  a channel  opening  out  of 
the  main  river  and  having  no  other  outlet.  For  a channel 
connecting  the  upper  and  lower  waters  of  the  same  river,  or 
leading  from  one  river  to  another,  they  have  another  word, 
“Parand”  (signifying  river),  which  they  modify  in  the  same 
way,  as  Parana-assu  or  Parana-mirim.  Paran&-assu,  the  big 
river,  means  also  the  sea.  A still  more  significant  name 
for  a channel  connecting  two  rivers  is  the  Portuguese  word 
“ furo,”  meaning  bore. 

The  lake  was  set  in  the  midst  of  long,  reed-like  grass, 
and,  as  we  approached  it,  thousands  of  white  water-birds 
rustled  up  from  the  margin  and  floated  like  a cloud  above 
us.  The  reason  of  their  numbers  was  plain  when  we 
reached  the  lake : it  was  actually  lined  with  shrimps ; one 
could  dip  them  out  by  the  bucketful.  The  boatmen  now 
began  to  drag  the  net,  and  perhaps  nowhere,  from  any 
single  lake  or  pond,  has  Mr.  Agassiz  made  a more  valu- 
able collection  of  forest  fishes.  Among  them  was  a pipe- 
fish, one  of  the  Goniodont  family,  very  similar  to  our  ordina- 
ry Syngnathus  in  appearance,  but  closely  related  to  Acestra, 
and  especially  interesting  to  him  as  throwing  light  on  cer- 
tain investigations  of  his,  made  when  quite  a young  man. 
This  specimen  confirmed  a classification  by  which  he  then 
associated  the  pipe-fish  with  the  Garpikes  and  Sturgeons, 
a combination  which  was  scouted  by  the  best  naturalists 
of  the  time,  and  is  even  now  repudiated  by  most  of  them. 
Without  self-glorification,  it  is  impossible  not  to  be  grati- 
fied when  the  experience  of  later  years  confirms  the  prc- 


234 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


monitions  jf  youth,  and  shows  them  to  have  been  not  mere 
guesses,  but  founded  upon  an  insight  into  the  true  relations 
of  things.  Wearied  after  a while  with  watching  the  fish- 
ing in  the  sun,  I went  back  into  the  forest,  where  I found 
the  coffee-pot  already  boiling  over  the  fire.  It  was  pleas- 
ant to  sit  down  on  a fallen,  moss-grown  trunk,  and  break- 
fast in  the  shade.  Presently  the  fishermen  came  back  from 
the  lake,  and  we  found  our  way  to  the  boats  again,  laden 
with  an  immense  number  of  fishes.  The  gentlemen  re- 
turned to  the  house  in  one  of  the  smaller  montarias,  taking 
the  specimens  with  them,  and  leaving  me  to  return  in  the 
larger  canoe  with  the  Senhoras.  It  seemed  to  me  strange 
on  this  Sunday  morning,  when  the  bells  must  be  ringing 
and  the  people  trooping  to  church  under  the  bright  October 
sky,  in  our  far-off  New  England  home,  to  be  floating  down 
this  quiet  igarap£,  in  a boat  full  of  half-naked  Indians,  their 
wild,  monotonous  chant  sounding  in  our  ears  as  they  kept 
time  to  their  oars.  In  these  excursions  one  learns  to  un- 
derstand the  fascination  this  life  must  have  for  a people 
among  whom  civilization  is  as  yet  but  very  incomplete ; 
it  is  full  of  physical  enjoyment,  without  any  mental  ef- 
fort. Up  early  in  the  morning  and  off  on  their  fishing 
or  hunting  excursions  long  before  dawn,  they  return  by 
the  middle  of  the  day,  lie  in  their  hammocks  and  smoke 
during  the  hours  of  greatest  heat  ; cook  the  fish  they 
have  brought  with  them,  and,  unless  sickness  comes  to 
them,  know  neither  want  nor  care.  We  reached  the  house 
in  time  for  a twelve  o’clock  breakfast  of  a more  solid  char- 
acter than  the  lighter  one  in  the  forest,  and  by  no  means 
unacceptable  after  our  long  row.  In  the  course  of  the  day 
two  “ Peixe-bois  ” (Manatees)  were  brought  in,  also  a Boto 
(porpoise),  and  some  large  specimens  of  Pirarucu  (Sudis). 


LIFE  IN  TEFFl 


235 


All  these  are  too  clumsy  to  preserve  in  alcohol,  especially 
when  alcohol  is  so  difficult  to  obtain  and  so  expensive 
as  it  is  here  ; but  Mr.  Agassiz  has  had  skeletons  made 
of  them,  and  will  preserve  the  skins  of  the  Peixe-bois 
for  mounting.  He  obtained  at  the  same  time  an  entirely 
new  genus  of  the  Siluroid  family.  It  is  a fish  weighing 
some  ten  pounds,  called  here  the  Pacamum,  and  of  a bright 
canary  color. 

The  evening  scene  at  the  “ Sitio  ” was  always  very  pretty. 
After  dinner,  when  the  customary  “ boa  noite,”  the  univer- 
sal greeting  at  the  close  of  the  day,  had  been  exchanged, 
the  palm-mats,  spread  over  the  platforms,  had  each  their 
separate  group,  Indians  or  negroes,  children,  members  of 
the  family  or  guests*  the  central  figure  being  usually  that 
of  Major  Coutinho,  who  was  considered  to  be  especially 
successful  in  the  making  of  coffee  and  who  generally  had 
a mat  to  himself,  where  he  looked,  as  the  blue  flame  of 
his  alcohol  lamp  flickered  in  the  wind,  not  unlike  a ma- 
gician of  old,  brewing  some  potent  spell.  Little  shallow 
cups,  like  open  antique  lamps,  filled  with  oil  and  having 
a bit  of  wick  hanging  over  the  edge,  were  placed  about 
the  floors,  and  served  to  light  the  interior  of  the  porch, 
though  after  a glimmering  and  uncertain  fashion.  On 
Monday  morning  we  left  the  “Sitio’’  and  returned  to 
Teffe,  where  Mr.  Agassiz  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving 
all  his  collections,  both  those  he  had  sent  on  before  him 
and  those  which  accompanied  us,  in  good  condition. 

October  §th.  — Alexandrina  turns  out  to  be  a valuable 
addition  to  the  household,  not  only  from  a domestic,  but 
also  from  a scientific  point  of  view.  She  has  learned  to 
prepare  and  clean  skeletons  of  fish  very  nicely,  and  makes 
herself  quite  useful  in  the  laboratory.  Besides,  she  knows 


236 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


many  paths  in  the  forest,  and  accompanies  me  in  all  my 
botanizing  excursions  ; with  the  keen  perceptions  of  a 
person  whose  only  training  has  been  through  the  senses, 
she  is  far  quicker  than  I am  in  discerning  the  smallest 
plant  in  fruit  or  flower,  and  now  that  she  knows  what  I 
am  seeking,  she  is  a very  efficient  aid.  Nimble  as  a monkey, 
she  thinks  nothing  of  climbing  to  the  top  of  a tree  to  bring 
down  a blossoming  branch  ; and  here,  where  many  of  the 
trees  shoot  up  to  quite  a height  before  putting  out  their 
boughs,  such  an  auxiliary  is  very  important.  The  collec- 
tions go  on  apace,  and  every  day  brings  in  new  species  ; 
more  than  can  be  easily  cared  for, — far  more  than  our  artist 
can  find  time  to  draw.  Yesterday,  among  other  specimens, 
a hollow  log  was  brought  in,  some  two  feet  and  a half  in 
length,  and  about  three  inches  in  diameter,  crowded  with 
Anojas  (a  common  fish  here)  of  all  sizes,  from  those 
several  inches  long  to  the  tiniest  young.  The  thing  was 
so  extraordinary  that  one  would  have  been  inclined  tc 
think  it  was  prepared  in  order  'to  be  passed  off  as  a curi- 
osity, had  not  the  fish  been  so  dexterously  packed  into 
the  log  from  end  to  end,  that  it  was  impossible  to  get  them 
out  without  splitting  it  open,  when  they  were  all  found 
alive  and  in  perfectly  good  condition.  They  could  not 
have  been  artificially  jammed  into  the  hollow  wood,  in 
that  way,  without  injuring  them.  The  fishermen  say  that 
this  is  the  habit  of  the  family  ; they  are  often  found  thus 
crowded  into  dead  logs  at  the  bottom  of  the  river,  making 
their  nests  as  it  were  in  the  cavities  of  the  wood.* 

October  14 th.  — Mr.  Agassiz  has  a corps  of  little  boys 

* This  species  belongs  to  one  of  the  subdivisions  of  the  genus  Auchenipte- 
rus  ; it  is  undescribed,  and  Mr.  Burkhardt  has  made  five  colored  sketches  of  a 
number  of  specimens  of  different  sizes,  varying  in  their  markings.  — L.  A. 


LIFE  IN  TEFFE. 


237 


engaged  in  catching  the  tiniest  fishes,  so  insignificant  in 
size  that  the  regular  fishermen,  who  can  never  be  made 
to  understand  that  a fish  which  is  not  good  to  eat  can 
serve  any  useful  purpose,  always  throw  them  away.  Nev- 
ertheless, these  are  among  the  most  instructive  specimens 
for  the  ichthyologist,  because  they  often  reveal  the  relations 
not  only  between  parent  and  offspring,  but  wider  relations 
between  different  groups.  Mr.  Agassiz’s  investigations  on 
these  little  fish  here  have  shown  repeatedly  that  the  young 
of  some  species  resemble  closely  the  adult  of  others.  Such 
a fish,  not  more  than  half  an  inch  long,  was  brought  to  him 
yesterday.  It  constitutes  a new  genus,  Lymnobelus,  and 
belongs  to  the  bill-fish  family,  Scomberesoces,  with  Belone 
and  others,  — that  long,  narrow  type,  with  a long  beak, 
which  has  such  a wide  distribution  over  the  world.  In  the 
Northern  United  States,  as  well  as  in  the  Mediterranean,  it 
has  a representative  of  the  genus  Scomberesox,  in  which  the 
jaws  of  its  long  snout  are  gaping  ; in  the  Mediterranean, 
and  almost  everywhere  in  the  temperate  and  torrid  zones, 
Belones  are  found  in  which,  on  the  contrary,  the  bill  is 
closed  ; in  Florida  and  on  the  Brazilian  coast,  as  well  as  in 
the  Pacific,  species  of  Hemirhamphus  occur  in  which  the  two 
jaws  are  unequal,  the  upper  one  being  very  short  and  the 
lower  one  enormously  long,  while  the  Amazonian  bill-fish 
has  a somewhat  different  cut  of  the  bill  from  either  of 
those  mentioned  above,  though  both  jaws  are  very  long, 
as  in  Belone.  When,  then,  the  young  of  this  Amazonian 
species  was  brought  to  Mr.  Agassiz,  he  naturally  expected 
to  find  it  like  its  parent.  On  the  contrary,  he  found  it  far 
more  like  the  species  of  Florida  and  the  Brazilian  coast, 
having  the  two  jaws  unequal,  the  upper  one  excessively 
short,  the  lower  enormously  long,  showing  that  the  Ama- 


238 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


zonian  species,  before  taking  on  its  own  characteristic 
features,  passes  through  a stage  resembling  the  perma- 
nent adult  condition  of  the  Hemirhamplius.  It  is  interest- 
ing to  find  that  animals,  which  have  their  natural  hom6s  so 
far  from  each  other  that  there  is  no  possibility  of  any  ma- 
terial connection  between  them,  are  yet  so  linked  together  by 
structural  laws,  that  the  development  of  one  species  should 
recall  the  adult  form  of  another.*  The  story  of  the  Acaras, 

* When  I attempted  to  record  my  impression  of  the  basin  of  the  Amazons, 
and  characterized  it  as  a fresh-water  ocean  with  an  archipelago  of  islands,  I 
did  not  mean  to  limit  the  comparison  to  the  wide  expanse  of  water  and  the 
large  number  of  islands.  The  resemblance  extends  much  further,  and  the 
whole  basin  may  be  said  to  be  oceanic  also,  in  the  character  of  its  fauna.  It  is 
true,  we  are  accustomed  to  consider  the  Chromides,  the  Characines,  the  Silu- 
roids,  and  the  Goniodonts,  which  constitute  the  chief  population  of  this  net- 
work of  rivers,  as  fresh-water  fishes  ; but  in  so  doing  we  shut  our  eyes  to  their 
natural  affinities,  and  remember  only  the  medium  in  which  they  live.  Let  any 
one  enter  upon  a more  searching  comparison,  and  he  will  not  fail  to  perceive 
that,  under  the  name  of  Chromides,  fishes  are  united  which  in  their  form  and 
general  appearance  recall  several  families  of  the  class,  only  known  as  inhab- 
itants of  the  sea.  The  genus  Pterophyllum,  for  instance,  might  be  placed  side  j 
by  side  with  the  Chaetodonts,  without  apparently  violating  its  natural  affini- 
ties, since  even  Cuvier  considered  it  as  a Platax.  The  genera  Symphysodon 
and  Uaru  would  not  seem  very  much  out  of  place,  by  the  side  of  Brama.  The 
genus  Geophagus  and  allied  forms  recall  at  once  the  Sparoids,  with  which  ' 
some  of  them  were  associated  by  earlier  ichthyologists  ; while  the  genus 
Crenicichla  forms  a striking  counterpart  to  the  genus  Malacantlius.  Finally, 
the  genus  Acara  and  their  kindred  closely  resemble  the  Pomacentroids.  In- 
deed, had  not  the  fresh-water  genera  Pomotis,  Centrarchus,  and  the  like,  been  J 
erroneously  associated  with  the  Percoids,  the  intimate  relations  which  bind 
them  to  the  Chromides,  and  these  again  to  the  marine  types  mentioned  above, 
would  long  ago  have  been  acknowledged.  The  genus  Monocirrus  is  a minia- 
ture Toxotes,  with  a barbel.  Polycentrus,  which  is  also  found  in  the  Ama- 
zons, stands  nearest  to  Acara  and  Heros ; it  has  only  a larger  number  of 
anal  spines.  In  this  connection  it  ought  not  to  be  overlooked  that  these 
fishes  are  not  pelagic,  like  the  Scomberoids,  but  rather  archipelagic,  if  I 
may  use  this  word  to  designate  fishes  dwelling  among  low  islands.  If 
we  discard  the  long-prevailing  idea  of  a close  relationship  between  the 


LIFE  IN  - TEFFE. 


239 


the  fish  which  carries  its  young  in  its  mouth,  grows  daily 
more  wonderful.  This  morning  Mr.  Agassiz  was  off  before 

Characines  and  Salmonides,  based  solely  upon  the  presence  of  an  adipose 
fin,  we  may  at  once  perceive  how  manifold  are  the  affinities  between  the 
Characines  on  one  hand,  and  on  the  other  the  Scopelines  and  Clupeoids, 
all  of  which  are  essentially  marine.  These  relations  may  be  traced  to  the 
details  of  the  genera ; Gasteropelecus,  from  the  family  of  Characines,  is  the 
pendant  of  Pristigaster  among  the  Clupeoids,  as  Chalcinus  recalls  Pellona. 
In  the  same  way  may  Stomias  and  Chauliodus  be  compared  to  Cynodon  and 
the  like  ; or  Sudis  and  Osteoglossum  to  Megalops,  and  Erythrinus  to  Ophiceph- 
alus,  &c.,  &c.  The  Goniodonts  may  at  first  sight  hardly  seem  to  have  any 
kindred  among  marine  fishes ; but  if  we  take  into  account  the  affinity  which 
unquestionably  links  the  genus  Loricaria  and  its  allies  with  Pegasus,  and 
further  remember  that  to  this  day  all  the  ichthyologists,  with  the  sole  excep- 
tion of  C.  Dumeril,  have  united  Pegasus  in  one  order  with  the  Pipe-fishes,  it 
will  no  longer  be  doubted  that  the  Goniodonts  have  at  least  a remarkable  anal- 
ogy with  the  Lophobranches,  if  they  should  not  be  considered  as  bearing  a close 
structural  relation  to  them.  But  this  relation  truly  exists.  The  extraordinary 
mode  of  rearing  their  young,  which  characterizes  the  various  representatives  of 
the  old  genus  Syngnathus,  is  only  matched  by  the  equally  curious  incubation 
of  the  eggs  in  Loricaria.  And  as  to  the  other  families  represented  in  the  basin 
of  the  Amazons,  such  as  the  Skates,  the  Sharks,  the  Tetraodonts,  the  Flat- 
fishes (Pleuronectides),  the  Bill-fishes  (Scomberesoces),  the  Anchovis,  Her- 
rings, and  other  forms  of  the  family  of  Clupeoids,  the  Mursenoids,  the  genu- 
ine Sciaenoids,  the  Gobioids,  &c.,  &c.,  they  are  chiefly  known  as  marine  types ; 
while  the  Cyprinodonts  occur  elsewhere  both  in  salt  and  fresh  water.  The 
Gymnotines  are  thus  far  only  known  as  fresh-water  fishes,  nor  do  I see  any 
ground  for  comparing  them  to  any  marine  type.  They  cannot  be  compared 
to  the  Muraenoids,  with  which  they  have  thus  far  been  associated.  The  only 
real  affinity  I can  trace  in  them  is  with  the  Mormyri  of  the  Nile  and  Senegal, 
and  with  the  Notopteri  of  the  Sunda  Islands.  Eel-shaped  fishes  are  by  no 
means  all  related  to  one  another,  and  their  elongated  form,  with  a variety  of 
patterns,  is  no  indication  of  their  relationship.  It  may,  nevertheless,  be  in- 
ferred from  what  precedes,  that  the  fishes  of  the  Amazons  have,  as  a whole,  a 
marine  character  peculiarly  their  own,  and  not  at  all  to  be  met  with  among 
the  inhabitants  of  the  other  great  rivers  of  the  world. 

These  peculiarities  extend  to  other  classes  besides  fishes.  Among  the  Bivalve 
shells,  it  has  long  been  known  that  the  Amazons  nourishes  genera  of  Naiades 
peculiar  to  its  waters,  or  only  found  besides  in  the  other  great  rivers  of  South 


240 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


dawn,  on  a fishing  excursion  with  Major  Estolano,  and 
returned  with  numerous  specimens  of  a new  species  of 

America;  such  as  Hvria,  Castalia,  and  Mycetopus,  to  which  I would  add 
another  genus,  founded  upon  slender,  sickle-shaped  Unios,  common  to  North 
and  South  America.  But  what  seems  to  have  escaped  the  attention  of  con- 
chologists  is  the  striking  resemblance  of  Hyria  and  Avicula,  of  Castalia  and 
Area,  of  Mycetopus  and  Solen,  &c.  Thus  exhibiting  another  repetition  of 
marine  types  in  a family  exclusively  limited  to  fresh  waters,  and  having  struc- 
tural characters  of  its  own,  entirely  distinct  from  the  marine  genera,  the 
appearance  of  which  they  so  closely  ape.  In  this  connection  I cannot  suppress 
the  remark,  that  it  would  be  puerile  to  consider  such  mimicry  as  indicative  of 
a community  of  origin.  Some  of  the  land  shells  even  recall  marine  forms ; 
such  are  some  of  the  Bulimus  tribe,  which  resemble  the  genus  Phasianella  and 
Littorina  far  more  than  their  own  relatives.  The  similarity  of  the ■ fringes  of 
the  anterior  margin  of  the  foot  is  particularly  striking.  The  Ampullariae 
remind  one  also,  in  a measure,  of  the  marine  genera  Struthiolaria,  Natica, 
&c.,  and  many  fossils  of  the  latter  family  have  been  confounded  with  fresh-water 
Ampularise. 

The  most  noticeable  feature  of  the  Amazonian  fauna,  considered  with  refer- 
ence to  its  oceanic  character,  is,  however,  the  abundance  of  Cetaceans  through 
its  whole  extent.  Wherever  I have  navigated  these  waters,  from  Para,  where 
the  tides  still  send  the  salt  brine  up  the  river,  to  Tabatinga  on  the  borders 
of  Peru,  in  all  the  larger  and  smaller  tributaries  of  the  great  stream  as  well 
as  in  the  many  lakes  connected  with  their  ever-changing  course,  I have  seen 
and  heard  them,  gamboling  at  the  surface  and  snoring  rhythmically,  when 
undisturbed  in  their  breathing.  At  night,  especially,  when  quietly  at  anchor 
in  the  river,  you  hardly  ever  fail  to  be  startled  by  the  noise  they  make,  when 
reaching  the  surface  to  exhale  forcibly  the  air  they  have  long  retained  in  their 
lungs  while  under  water.  I have  noticed  five  different  species  of  this  order 
of  animals  in  the  waters  of  the  Amazons,  four  of  which  belong  to  the  family 
of  Porpoises  and  one  to  that  of  Manatees.  Mr.  Burkhardt  has  drawn  three 
of  them  from  fresh  specimens  for  me,  and  I hope  before  long  to  secure  equally 
faithful  representations  of  the  others,  when  I shall  describe  them  all  com- 
paratively. One  of  the  Porpoises  belongs  to  the  genus  Inia,  and  may  be 
traced  on  the  upper  tributaries  of  the  Amazons  to  Bolivia,  another  resem- 
bles more  our  common  Porpoise,  while  still  another  recalls  the  Dolphin  of 
the  sea-coast ; but  I have  been  unable  to  ascertain  whether  any  one  of  them 
is  identical  with  the  marine  species.  At  all  events,  the  black  Porpoise  of  the 
bay  of  Marajo,  frequently  seen  in  the  vicinity  of  Para,  is  totally  different  from 
the  gray  species  seen  higher  up  the  stream.  — L.  A. 


LIFE  IN  TEFFE'. 


241 


that  family.  These  specimens  furnished  a complete  embry- 
ological  seriehj  some  of  them  having  their  eggs  at  the  back 
of  the  gills,  between  the  upper  pharyngeals  and  the  bran- 
chial arches,  others  their  young  in  the  mouth  in  different 
stages  of  development,  up  to  those  a quarter  of  an  inch 
long  and  able  to  swim  about,  full  of  life  and  activity, 
when  removed  from  the  gills  and  placed  in  water.  The 
most  advanced  were  always  found  outside  of  the  gills, 
within  the  cavity  formed  by  the  gill-covers  and  the  wide 
branchiostegal  membrane.  In  examining  these  fishes  Mr. 
Agassiz  has  found  that  a special  lobe  of  the  brain,  similar 
to  those  of  the  Triglas,  sends  large  nerves  to  that  part 
of  the  gills  which  protects  the  young  ; thus  connecting 
the  care  of  the  offspring  with  the  organ  of  intelligence. 
The  specimens  of  this  morning  seem  to  invalidate  the 
statement  of  the  fishermen,  that  the  young,  though  often 
found  in  the  mouth  of  the  parent,  are-  not  actually  de- 
veloped there,  but  laid  and  hatched  in  the  sand.  The 
series,  in  these  specimens,  was  too  complete  to  leave  any 
doubt  that  in  this  species  at  least  the  whole  process  of 
development  is  begun  and  completed  in  the  gill-cavity. 

October  Ylth.  — TeffA  Yesterday,  to  our  great  pleasure, 
our  companions,  Mr.  James  and  Mr.  Talisman,  returned 
from  their  canoe  expedition  on  the  rivers  Iga  and 
Hyutahy,  bringing  most  valuable  collections.  Mr.  Agassiz 
has  felt  some  anxiety  about  their  success,  as,  in  con- 
sequence of  their  small  supply  of  alcohol,  for  preserving 
specimens,  which  was,  nevertheless,  all  he  could  spare 
from  the  common  store,  a great  deal  of  judgment  in  the 
choice  of  specimens  was  required  in  order  to  make  a truly 
characteristic  collection.  The  commission  could  not  have 
been  better  executed,  and  the  result  raises  the  number 


242 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


of  species  from  the  Amazonian  waters  to  more  than  six 
hundred,  every  day  showing  more  clearly  how  distinctly 
the  species  are  localized,  and  that  this  immense  basin  is 
divided  into  numerous  zoological  areas,  each  one  of  which 
has  its  own  combination  of  fishes.  Our  stay  at  Teffd  draws 
to  a close,  and  to-day  begins  the  great  work  of  packing,  in 
preparation  for  the  arrival  of  the  steamer  at  the  end  of  the 
week.  These  days  are  the  most  laborious  of  all ; on  leav- 
ing every  station,  all  the  alcoholic  specimens  have  to  be 
overhauled,  their  condition  ascertained,  the  barrels,  kegs, 
and  cans  examined,  to  make  sure  that  the  hoops  are  fast, 
and  that  there  are  no  leakages.  Fortunately,  there  are 
some  of  our  party  who  are  very  dexterous  as  coopers  and 
joiners,  and  at  these  times  the  laboratory  is  turned  into 
a workshop.  We  were  reminded  of  the  labors  of  the  day 
by  a circular  distributed  at  breakfast  this  morning  : — 

“ Sir  : — The  ‘ United  Coopers’  Association  ’ will  meet  in  the  lab- 
oratory after  breakfast.  You  are  particularly  requested  to  attend. 

“Teffe,  Oct.  17th,  1865.” 

And  at  this  moment  the  laboratory  rings  with  click  of  ham- 
mer, and  nails,  and  iron  hoops.  As  usual,  there  are  a 
number  of  uninvited  spectators  watching  the  breaking  up 
of  the  scientific  establishment,  which  has  been,  during  the 
past  month,  a source  of  constant  entertainment  to  the  va- 
grant population  of  Teffe.  In  this  country  of  open  doors 
and  windows  one  has  not  the  same  protection  against  intru- 
sion as  in  a colder  climate,  and  we  have  had  a constant 
succession  of  curious  visitors  hanging  about  our  premises. 

I have  dwelt  especially  on  the  fish  collection ; but  we  do 
not  go  away  empty-handed  in  other  respects.  Mr.  Dexter 
has  prepared  a large  number  of  the  forest  birds  for  mounting, 
— papagaios,  toucans,  and  a great  variety  of  smaller  species 


LIFE  IN  TEFF& 


243 


of  very  brilliant  plumage,  not  to  speak  of  the  less  showy 
water-birds.  He  has  been  often  in  the  woods  shooting, 
with  Mr.  Hunnewell  and  Mr.  Thayer,  and  has  employed 
several  sportsmen  of  the  place  to  assist  him.  Turtles, 
jacar^s,  and  snakes  are  also  largely  represented  in  the 
collections ; and  Mr.  Agassiz  has  obtained,  by  purchase, 
a large  and  well-preserved  collection  of  insects,  made  by 
a Frenchman  during  a several  years’  residence  in  this 
little  town.  In  Teffe  and  its  neighborhood  we  constantly 
tread  in  the  footsteps  of  the  English  naturalist,  Mr.  Bates, 
“ Senhor  Hcnrique,”  as  the  people  call  him  here,  whose 
charming  book,  “ The  Naturalist  on  the  Amazons,”  has 
been  a very  pleasant  companion  to  us  in  our  wanderings.* 

* As  from  the  beginning  onr  arrangements  were  made  to  stay  at  least  a 
month  in  Teffe,  it  became  possible  to  lay  out  our  work  in  a more  systematic 
form  than  during  our  rambling  travels.  It  was  here  that  I secured  the  largest 
number  of  fish  skeletons  and  had  several  of  the  larger  animals  of  the  country 
prepared  for  the  Museum ; such  as  Manatees,  Porpoises,  Pirarucus,  Sorubims, 
and  the  like.  I also  undertook  here,  for  the  first  time,  a regular  search  for  the 
young  of  all  the  species  of  fishes  that  could  be  obtained.  Here  again  my 
neighbors,  and  indeed  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  place,  vied  with  one  another 
in  their  efforts  to  procure  specimens  for  me.  Senhor  Joad  da  Cunha  and 
Dr.  Komualdo  made  frequent  fishing  excursions  for  my  benefit ; and  when  I 
could  not  accompany  them,  a boatful  of  fish  was  nevertheless  moored  to  .the 
shore,  in  the  evening,- from  which  I could  select  whatever  was  useful  or  interest- 
ing. The  grocer  of  the  place,  Mr.  Pedro  Mendez,  who  employed  a skilful  fish- 
erman daily  to  supply  his  large  family,  gave  directions  that  all  the  fishes  caught 
should  be  brought  in,  and  before  the  kitchen  received  its  provisions,  I had  my 
choice  of  everything.  This  was  a great  favor,  especially  since  the  Indian  fish- 
erman, Jose,  whom  I had  engaged  in  Manaos  to  accompany  me  through  the 
rest  of  my  journey,  was  now  at  Tabatinga,  assisting  Mr.  Bourget,  who  had 
been  left  there  when  I returned  to  Teffe.  An  old  Passe  Indian,  who  was  as 
familiar  with  the  fishes  of  the  waters  as  with  the  animals  of  the  forest,,  and 
whom  Major  Coutinho  had  befriended  for  many  years,  rendered  also  great 
service  in  hunting  particular  kinds  of  fishes  and  reptiles,  the  haunts  of  which  he 
alone  seemed  to  know.  The  schoolmaster  and  his  boys,  in  short,  everybody 


244 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


October  21  st.  — Since  Thursday  afternoon  our  canoe  has 
been  loaded,  all  the  specimens,  amounting  to  something 
more  than  thirty  barrels,  kegs,  and  boxes,  packed  and 
waiting  the  arrival  of  the  steamer.  We  have  paid  our 
parting  visits  to  friends  and  acquaintances  here.  I have 
taken  my  last  ramble  in  the  woods  where  I have  had  so 

who  knew  how  to  catch  fish  or  fbwl,  was  out  at  work,  and,  with  the  assistance 
of  my  young  friends  Dexter,  Hunnewell,  and  Thayer,  and  the  co-operation 
of  Major  Coutinho  and  Mr.  Burkhardt,  our  daily  progress  was  unmistakable. 
They  generally  took  care  of  the  collections  of  land  animals,  while  I reserved  the 
fishes  to  myself,  and  Major  Coutinho  was  busy  with  geological  and  meteorologi- 
cal observations.  Even  the  servants  helped  in  cleaning  the  skeletons.  I made 
here  a very  extensive  collection  of  fish  brains,  embracing  most  genera  found 
in  this  locality,  but  it  was  unfortunately  lost  on  arriving  at  Manaos.  Aware 
of  the  difficulty  of  transporting  preparations  so  delicate,  I kept  them  always 
by  my  side,  simply  packed  in  an  open  barrel,  in  the  hope  of  bringing  them 
safely  home,  and  also  that  I might,  without  difficulty,  add  to  the  number.  In 
an  unguarded  moment,  however,  while  landing,  one  of  our  attendants  cap- 
sized the  whole  into  the  Rio  Negro.  It  is  the  only  part  of  my  collections 
which  was  completely  lost. 

After  setting  my  whole  party  well  under  way  in  TeffS,  I made  the  very 
instructive  excursion  with  Major  Estolano,  of  which  an  account  is  given  in 
the  text,  to  the  Lago  do  Boto,  a small  sheet  of  water,  by  the  side  of  his  sitio 
on  the  banks  of  the  main  course  of  the  Amazons,  where  I had  a fair  opportu- 
nity of  ascertaining  how  widely  different  the  fishes  may  be  that  inhabit 
adjoining  faunae  in  the  same  hydrographic  basin.  To  this  day  I have  not 
yet  recovered  from  my  surprise  at  finding  that  shores  which,  from  a geographic 
point  of  view,  must  be  considered  simply  as  opposite  banks  of  the  same  stream, 
were,  nevertheless,  the  abode  of  an  essentially  different  ichthyological  popula- 
tion. Among  the  most  curious  fishes  obtained  here,  I would  mention  a new 
genus,  allied  to  Phractocephalus,  of  which  I know  only  a single  very  large 
species,  remarkable  for  its  uniform  canary-yellow  color.  Doras,  Acestra, 
Pterygoplichthys,  &c.,  were  particularly  common.  Small  as  this  lake  is,  the 
largest  animals  known  in  the  whole  basin  are  found  in  it : such  as  Manatees 
Botos,  — the  Porpoise  of  the  Amazons,  which  has  given  its  name  to  the  lake  ; 
Alligators,  Pirarucus,  — the  Sudis  gigas  of  systematic  writers;  Sorubims,  the 
large  flat-headed  Hornpouts ; Pacamums,  the  large,  yellow  Siluroid  above  al- 
luded to,  &c.,  &c.  — L.  A. 


LIFE  IN  TEFF& 


245 


many  pleasant  walks,  and  now  we  are  sitting  in  the  midst 
of  valises  and  carpet-bags,  waiting  to  see  the  steamer  round 
the  wooded  point  in  front  of  the  house,  before  we  turn  the 
key  on  our  four  weeks’  home,  and  close  this  chapter  of  our 
Amazonian  life.  In  this  country,  where  time  seems  to  be 


Head  of  Alexandria 


of  comparatively  little  importance,  one  is  never  sure  wheth- 
er the  boat  will  leave  or  arrive  on  the  appointed  day.  One 
has  only  to  make  the  necessary  preparations,  and  then 
practise  the  favorite  Brazilian  virtue,  “ paciencia.”  The 


246 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


adjoining  sketch  is  a portrait  of  my  little  house  unaid, 
Alexandria,  who,  from  her  mixture  of  Negro  and  Indian 
blood,  is  rather  a curious  illustration  of  the  amalgamation 
of  races  here.  She  consented  yesterday,  after  a good  deal 
of  coy  demur,  to  have  her  portrait  taken.  Mr.  Agassiz 
wanted  it  especially  on  account  of  her  extraordinary  hair, 
which,  though  it  has  lost  its  compact  negro  crinkle,  and 
acquired  something  of  the  length  and  texture  of  the  Indian 
hair,  retains,  nevertheless,  a sort  of  wiry  elasticity,  so  that, 
when  combed  out,  it  stands  off  from  her  head  in  all  direc- 
tions as  if  electrified.  In  the  examples  of  negro  and  Indian 
half-breeds  we  have  seen,  the  negro  type  seems  the  first  to 
yield,  as  if  the  more  facile  disposition  of  the  negro,  £ls 
compared  with  the  enduring  tenacity  of  the  Indian,  showed 
itself  in  their  physical  as  well  as  their  mental  characteristics. 
A few  remarks,  gathered  from  Mr.  Agassiz’s  notes  on  the 
general  character  of  the  population  in  this  region  may  not 
be  without  interest. 

“ Two  things  are  strongly  impressed  on  the  mind  of  the 
traveller  in  the  Upper  Amazons.  The  necessity,  in  the  first 
place,  of  a larger  population,  and,  secondly,  of  a better  class 
of  whites,  before  any  fair  beginning  can  be  made  in  develop- 
ing the  resources  of  the  country  ; and,  as  an  inducement  to 
this,  the  importance  of  taking  off  all  restraint  on  the  navi- 
gation of  the  Amazons  and  its  tributaries,  opening  them  to 
the  ambition  and  competition  of  other  nations.  Not  only 
is  the  white  population  too  small  for  the  task  before  it, 
but  it  is  no  less  poor  in  quality  than  meagre  in  numbers. 
It  presents  the  singular  spectacle  of  a higher  race  receiving 
the  impress  of  a lower  one,  of  an  educated  class  adopting 
the  habits  and  sinking  to  the  level  of  the  savage.  In  the 
towns  of  the  Solimoens  the  people  who  pass  for  the  white 


LIFE  IN  TEFFE. 


247 


gentry,  of  the  land,  while  they  profit  by  the  ignorance  of 
the  Indian  to  cheat  and  abuse  him,  nevertheless  adopt  his 
social  habits,  sit  on  the  ground  and  eat  with  their  fingers 
as  he  does.  Although  it  is  forbidden  by  law  to  enslave  the 
Indian,  there  is  a practical  slavery  by  which  he  becomes 
as  absolutely  in  the  power  of  the  master  as  if  he  could 
be  bought  and  sold.  The  white  man  engages  an  Indian 
to  work  for  him  at  a certain  rate,  at  the  same  time  prom- 
ising to  provide  him  with  clothes  and  food  until  such  time 
as  he  shall  have  earned  enough  to  take  care  of  himself. 
This  outfit,  in  fact,  costs  the  employer  little  ; but  when 
the  Indian  comes  to  receive  his  wages  he  is  told  that  he 
is  already  in  debt  to  his  master  for  what  has  been  ad- 
vanced to  him  ; instead  of  having  a right  to  demand 
money,  he  owes  work.  The  Indians,  even  those  who  live 
about  the  towns,  are  singularly  ignorant  of  the  true  value 
of  things.  They  allow  themselves  to  be  deceived  in  this 
way  to  an  extraordinary  extent,  and  remain  bound  to  the 
service  of  a man  for  a lifetime,  believing  themselves  under 
the  burden  of  a debt,  while  they  are,  in  fact,  creditors. 
Besides  this  virtual  slavery,  an  actual  traffic  of  the  Indians 
does  go  on  : but  it  is  so  far  removed  from  the  power  of  the 
authorities  that  they  cannot,  if  they  would,  put  a stop  to  it. 
A better  class  of  emigrants  would  suppress  many  of  these 
evils.  Americans  or  Englishmen  might  be  sordid  in  their 
transactions  with  the  natives ; their  hands  are  certainly  not 
clean  in  their  dealings  with  the  dark-skinned  races  ; but 
they  would  not  degrade  themselves  to  the  social  level  of 
the  Indians  as  the  Portuguese  do  ; they  would  not  adopt 
his  habits.” 

I cannot  say  good  by  to  Teffe  without  a word  in  com- 
memoration of  one  class  of  its  inhabitants  who  have 


248 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


interfered  very  seriously  with  our  comfort.  There  is  a 
tiny  creature  called  the  Mocuim,  scarcely  visible  except 
for  its  bright  vermilion  color,  which  swarms  all  over  the 
grass  and  low  growth  here.  It  penetrates  under  the  skin 
so  that  one  would  suppose  a red  rash  had  broken  out  over 
the  body,  and  causes  excessive  itching,  ending  sometimes 
in  troublesome  sores.  On  returning  from  a walk  it  is 
necessary  to  bathe  in  alcohol  and  water,  in  order  to  allay 
the  heat  and  irritation  produced  by  these  little  wretches. 
Mosquitoes  are  annoying,  piums  are  vexatious,  but  for 
concentrated  misery  commend  me  to  the  Mocuim. 

October  23 d.  — We  left  Teffe  on  Saturday  evening  on 
board  the  Icamiaba,  which  now  seems  quite  like -a  home 
to  us  ; we  have  passed  so  many  pleasant  hours  in  her 
comfortable  quarters  since  we  left  Pard.  We  are  just 
on  the  verge  of  the  rainy  season  here,  and  almost  every 
evening  during  the  past  week  has  brought  a thunder-storm. 
The  evening  before  leaving  Teffe  we  had  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  storms  we  have  seen  on  the  Amazons.  It  came 
sweeping  up  from  the  east  ; these  squalls  always  come 
from  the  east,  and  therefore  the  Indians  say  “ the  path  of 
the  sun  is  the  path  of  the  storm.”  The  upper,  lighter 
layer  of  cloud,  travelling  faster  than  the  dark,  lurid  mass 
below,  hung  over  it  with  its  white,  fleecy  edge,  like  an 
avalanche  of  snow  just  about  to  fall.  We  were  all  sitting 
at  the  doorstep  watching  its  swift  approach,  and  Mr.  Agassiz 
said  that  this  tropical  storm  was  the  most  accurate  represen- 
tation of  an  avalanche  on  the  upper  Alps  he  had  ever  seen. 
It  seems  sometimes  as  if  Nature  played  upon  herself,  repro- 
ducing the  same  appearances  under  the  most  dissimilar 
circumstances.  It  is  curious  to  mark  the  change  in  the 
river.  When  we  reached  Teffe  it  was  rapidly  falling  at 


LIFE  IN  TEFF& 


249 


the  /ate  of  about  a foot  a day.  It  was  easy  to  measure  its 
retreat  by  the  effect  of  the  occasional  rains  on  the  beach. 
The  shower  of  one  day,  for  instance,  would  gully  the  sand 
to  the  water’s  edge,  and  the  next  day  we  would  find  the  water 
about  a foot  below  the  terminus  of  all  the  cracks  and  ruts 
thus  caused,  their  abrupt  close  showing  the  line  at  which 
they  met  the  water  the  previous  day.  Ten  days  or  a fort- 
night before  we  left,  and  during  which  we  had  heavy 
rains  at  the  close  of  every  day,  continuing  frequently 
through  the  night,  those  oscillations  in  the  river  began, 
which  the  people  here  call  “ repiquete,”  and  which,  on 
the  Upper  Amazons,  precede  the  regular  rise  of  the  water 
during  the  winter.  The  first  repiquete  occurs  in  TeffS 
toward  the  end  of  October,  accompanied  by  almost  daily 
rains.  After  a Week  or  so  the  water  falls  again  ; in  ten 
or  twelve  days  it  begins  once  more  to  ascend,  and  sinks 
again  after  the  same  period.  In  some  seasons  there  is  a 
third  rise  and  fall,  but  usually  the  third  repiquete  begins 
the  permanent  annual  rise  of  the  river.  On  board  the 
steamer  we  were  joined  by  Mr.  Bourget,  with  his  fine 
collections  from  Tabatinga.  He,  like  both  the  other  par- 
ties, has  been  hindered,  by  want  of  alcohol,  from  making 
as  large  collections  as  he  might  otherwise  have  done  ; but 
they  are,  nevertheless,  very  valuable,  exceedingly  well  put 
up,  and  embracing  a great  variety  of  species,  from  the 
Maran'on  as  well  as  from  the  Hyavary.  Thus  we  have  a 
rich  harvest  from  all  the  principal  tributaries  of  the  Upper 
Amazons,  within  the  borders  of  Brazil,  above  the  Rio  Negro, 
except  the  Purus,  which  must  be  left  unexplored  for  want 
of  time  and  a sufficient  working  force. 

On  leaving  TeffS  I should  say  something  of  the  nature 
of  the  soil  in  connection  with  Mr.  Agassiz’s  previous 


250 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


observations  on  this  subject.  Although  he  has  been  al- 
most constantly  occupied  with  his  collections,  he  has, 
nevertheless,  found  time  to  examine  the  geological  for- 
mations of  the  neighborhood.  The  more  he  considers  the 
Amazons  and  its  tributaries,  the  more  does  he  feel  con- 
vinced that  the  whole  mass  of  the  reddish,  homogene- 
ous clay,  which  he  has  called  drift,  is  the  glacial  de- 
posit brought  down  from  the  Andes  and  worked  over  by 
the  melting  of  the  ice  which  transported  it.  According 
to  his  view,  the  whole  valley  was  originally  filled  with 
this  deposit,  and  the  Amazons  itself,  as  well  as  the  rivers 
connected  with  it,  are  so  many  channels  worn  through  the 
mass,  having  cut  their  way  just  as  the  igarap^  now  wears 
its  way  through  the  more  modern  deposits  of  mud  and  sand. 
It  may  seem  strange  that  any  one  should  compare  the  for- 
mation of  these  insignificant  forest-streams  with  that  of 
the  vast  river  which  pours  itself  across  a whole  continent ; 
but  it  is,  after  all,  only  a reversal  of  the  microscopic  process 
of  investigation.  We  magnify  the  microscopically  small  in 
order  to  see  it,  and  we  must  diminish  that  which  transcends 
our  apprehension  by  its  great  size,  in  order  to  understand 
it.  The  naturalist  who  wishes  to  compare  an  elephant  with 
a Coni  (Hyrax),*  turns  the  diminishing  end  of  his  glass 
upon  the  former,  and,  reducing  its  clumsy  proportions,  he 
finds  that  the  difference  is  one  of  size  rather  than  struc- 
ture. The  essential  features  are  the  same.  So  the  little 
igarape,  as  it  wears  its  channel  through  the  forest  to-day, 
explains  the  early  history  of  the  great  river  and  feebly 
reiterates  the  past. 

* It  was  Cuvier  who  first  ascertained  that  the  small  Hyrax  belongs  to  the 
same  order  as  the  elephant. 


RETURN  TO  MANAOS. 


251 


CHAPTER  Y III. 

RETURN  TO  MANAOS.  — AMAZONIAN  PICNIC. 

Arrival  at  Manaos. — New  Quarters. — The  “Ibicuhy.” — New;  from 
Home.  — Visit  to  the  Cascade.  — Banheiras  in  the  Forest.  — Excur- 
sion to  Lake  Hyanuary.  — Character  and  Prospects  of  the  Amazonian 
Valley.  — Reception  at  the  Lake.  — Description  of  Sitio. — Successful 
Fishing. — Indian  Visitors.  -Indian  Ball.  — Character  of  the  Dan- 
cing. — Disturbed  Night.  — Canoe  Excursion.  — Scenery.  — Another 
Sitio.  — Morals  and  Manners.  — Talk  with  the  Indian  Women.  — Life 
in  the  Forest.  — Life  in  the  Towns.  — Dinner-Party. Toasts. — 
Evening  Row  on  the  Lake.  — Night  Scene.  — Smoking  among  the 
Senhoras.  — Return  to  Manaos. 


October  Z^th.  — Manaos.  We  reached  Manaos  yesterday. 
As  we  landed  in  the  afternoon,  and  as  our  arrival  had  not 
been  expected  with  any  certainty,  we  had  to  wait  a little 
while  for  lodgings  ; but  before  night  we  were  fairly  estab- 
lished, our  corps  of  assistants  and  all  our  scientific  appa- 
ratus, in  a small  house  near  the  shore,  Mr.  Agassiz  and 
myself  in  an  old,  rambling  edifice,  used  when  we  were 
here  before  for  the  public  treasury,  which  is  now  removed 
to  another  building.  Our  abode  has  still  rather  the  air  of 
a public  establishment,  but  it  is  very  quaint  and  pleasant 
inside,  and,  from  its  open,  spacious  character,  is  especially 
agreeable  in  this  climate.  The  apartment  in  which  we 
have  taken  up  our  quarters,  making  it  serve  both  as 
drawing-room  and  chamber,  is  a long,  lofty  hall,  opening 
by  a number  of  doors  and  windows  on  a large,  green 
enclosure,  called  by  courtesy  a garden,  but  which  is,  after 
all,  only  a ragged  space  overgrown  with  grass,  and  having 
a few  trees  in  it.  Nevertheless,  it  makes  a pleasant  back- 
ground of  shade  and  verdure.  At  the  upper  end  of  our 


252 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


airy  room  hang  our  hammocks,  and  here  are  disposed  our 
trunks,  boxes,  <fcc. ; in  the  other  half  are  a couple  of  writing- 
tables,  a Yankee  rocking-chair  that  looks  as  if  it  might  have 
come  out  of  a Maine  farmer’s  house,  a lounging-chair,  and 
one  or  two  other  pieces  of  furniture,  which  give  it  a do- 
mestic look  and  make  it  serve  very  well  as  a parlor.  There 
are  many  other  apartments  in  this  rambling,  rickety  castle 
of  ours,  with  its  brick  floors  and  its  rat-holes,  its  lofty,  bare 
walls,  and  rough  rafters  overhead ; but  this  is  the  only  one 
we  have  undertaken  to  make  habitable,  and  to  my  eye  it 
presents  a very  happy  combination  of  the  cosey  and  the 
picturesque.  We  have  been  already  urged  by  some  of 
our  hospitable  friends  here  to  take  other  lodgings ; but  ^e 
are  much  pleased  with  our  quarters,  and  prefer  to  retain 
them,  at  least  for  the  present. 

On  our  arrival  we  were  greeted  by  the  tidings  that  the 
first  steamer  of  the  line  recently  opened  between  New 
York  and  Brazil  had  touched  at  Para  on  her  way  to 
Rio.  According  to  all  accounts,  this  has  been  made  the 
occasion  of  great  rejoicing  ; and,  indeed,  there  appears  to 
be  a strong  desire  throughout  Brazil  to  strengthen  in 
every  way  her  relations  with  the  United  States.  The 
opening  of  this  line  seems  to  bring  us  nearer  home,  and 
its  announcement,  in  connection  with  excellent  news,  pub- 
lic and  private,  from  the  IJnited  States,  made  the  day  of 
our  return  to  Manaos  a very  happy  one.  A few  hours 
after  our  own  arrival  the  steamer  “ Ibicuhy,”  provided  by 
the  government  for  our  use,  came  into  port.  To  our  great 
pleasure,  she  brings  Mr.  Tavares  Bastos,  deputy  from  Ala- 
goas,  whose  uniform  kindness  to  us  personally  ever  since 
our  arrival  in  Brazil,  as  well  as  his  interest  in  the  success 
of  the  expedition,  make  it  a great  pleasure  to  meet  him 


RETURN  TO  MANAOS. 


253 


again.  This  morning  Mr.  Agassiz  received  the  official 
document  placing  the  steamer  at  his  disposition,  and  also 
a visit  from  her  commander,  Captain  Faria. 

October  2 6th.  — Yesterday  morning  at  six  o’clock  we 
made  our  first  excursion  to  a pretty  spot  much  talked 
of  in  Manaos  on  account  of  its  attractions  for  bathing, 
picnics,  and  country  enjoyments  of  all  sorts.  It  is  called 
the  “ little  cascade,”  to  distinguish  it  from  a larger  and, 
it  is  said,  a much  more  picturesque  fall,  half  a league  from 
the  city  on  the  other  side.  Half  an  hour’s  row  through  a 
winding  river  brings  you  to  a rocky  causeway,  over  which 
the  water  comes  brawling  down  in  a shallow  rapid.  Here 
you  land,  and  a path  through  the  trees  leads  along  the 
edge  of  the  igarape  to  a succession  of  “ banheiras,”  as 
they  call  them  here  ; and  they  are  indeed  woodland  bathing- 
pools  fit  for  Diana  and  her  nymphs,  completely  surrounded 
by  trees,  and  so  separated  from  each  other  by  leafy  screens, 
that  a number  of  persons  may  bathe  in  perfect  seclusion. 
The  water  rushes  through  them  with  a delicious  freshness, 
forming  a little  cascade  in  each.  The  inhabitants  make  the 
most  of  this  forest  bathing  establishment  while  it  lasts  ; 
the  rise  of  the  river  during  the  rainy  season  overflows 
and  effaces  it  completely  for  half  the  year.  While  we  were 
bathing,  the  boatmen  had  lighted  a fire,  and  when  we  re- 
turned to  the  landing  we  found  a pot  of  coffee  simmering 
very  temptingly  oyer  the  embers.  Thus  refreshed,  we  re- 
turned to  town  just  as  the  heat  of  the  day  was  beginning  to 
be  oppressive. 

October  28th.  — Yesterday  morning,  at  about  half  past 
six  o’clock,  we  left  Manaos  on  an  excursion  to  the  Lake 
of  Hyanuary  on  the  western  side  of  the  Rio  Negro.  The 
morning  was  unusually  fresh  for  these  latitudes,  and  a 


254 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


strong  wind  was  blowing  up  so  heavy  a sea  in  the  river, 
that,  if  it  did  not  make  one  actually  sea-sick,  it  certainly 
called  up  very  vivid  and  painful  associations.  We  were 
in  a large  eiglit-oared  custom-house  barge,  our  company 
consisting  of  His  Excellency  Dr.  Epaminondas,  President 
of  the  province,  his  Secretary,  Senhor  Codicera,  Seiihor 
Tavares  Bastos,  Major  Coutinho,  Mr.  Agassiz  and  myself, 
Mr.  Burkhardt,  Mr.  Dexter,  and  Mr.  James.  We  were 
preceded  by  a smaller  boat,  an  Indian  montaria,  in  which 
was  our  friend  Senhor  Honorio,  who  has  been  so  kind  as  to 
allow  us  to  breakfast  and  dine  with  him  during  our  stay 
here,  and  who,  having  undertaken  to  provide  for  our  crea- 
ture comforts,  had  the  care  of  a boatful  of  provisions.  After 
an  hour’s  row  we  left  the  rough  waters  of  the  Rio  Negro, 
and,  rounding  a wooded  point,  turned  into  an  igarap6 
which  gradually  narrowed  up  into  one  of  those  shaded, 
winding  streams,  which  make  the  charm  of  such  excur- 
sions in  this  country.  A ragged  drapery  of  long,  faded 
grass  hung  from  the  lower  branches  of  the  trees,  marking 
the  height  of  the  last  rise  of  the  river  to  some  eighteen 
or  twenty  feet  above  its  present  level.  Here  and  there  a 
white  heron  stood  on  the  shore,  his  snowy  plumage  glitter- 
ing in  the  sunlight,  and  numbers  of  Ciganas  (Opistocomus), 
the  pheasants  of  the  Amazons,  clustered  in  the  bushes  ; once 
a pair  of  large  king  vultures  (Sarcorhamphus  papa)  rested 
for  a moment  within  gunshot,  but  flew  out  of  sight  as  our 
canoe  approached  ; and  now  and  then  an  alligator  showed 
his  head  above  water.  As  we  floated  along  through  this 
picturesque  channel,  so  characteristic  of  the  wonderful 
region  to  which  we  were  all  more  or  less  strangers,  Dr. 
Epaminondas  and  Senhor  Tavares  Bastos  being  here  also 
for  the  first  time,  the  conversation  turned  naturally  enough 


RETURN  TO  MANAOS. 


255 


upon  the  nature  of  this  Amazonian  valley,  its  physical  con- 
formation, its  origin  and  resources,  its  history  past  and  to 
come,  both  alike  obscure,  both  the  subject  of  wonder  and 
speculation.  Senhor  Tavares  Bastos,  although  not  yet  thirty 
years  of  age,  is  already  distinguished  in  the  politics  of  his 
country,  and  from  the  moment  he  entered  upon  public  life 
to  the  present  time  the  legislation  of  the  Amazons,  its 
relation  to  the  future  progress  and  development  of  the 
Brazilian  Empire,  have  been  the  object  of  his  deepest 
interest.  He  is  a leader  in  that  class  of  men  who  advo- 
cate the  most  liberal  policy  with  regard  to  this  question, 
and  has  already  urged  upon  his  countrymen  the  importance, 
even  from  selfish  motives,  of  sharing  their  great  treasure 
with  the  world.  He  was  little  more  than  twenty  years  of 
age  when  he  published  his  papers  on  the  opening  of  the 
Amazons,  which  have  done  more,  perhaps,  than  anything 
else,  of  late  years,  to  attract  attention  to  the  subject.* 
There  are  points  where  the  researches  of  the  statesman 
and  the  investigator  meet,  and  natural  science*  is  not  with- 
out a voice  even  in  the  practical  bearings  of  this  question. 
Shall  this  region  be  legislated  for  as  sea  or  land  ? Shall 
the  interests  of  agriculture  or  navigation  prevail  in  its 
councils  ? Is  it  essentially  aquatic  or  terrestrial  ? Such 
were  some  of  the  inquiries  which  came  up  in  the  course 
of  the  discussion.  A region  of  country  which  stretches 
across  a whole  continent  and  is  flooded  for  half  the  year, 
where  there  can  never  be  railroads  or  highways,  or  even 
pedestrian  travelling  to  any  great  extent,  can  hardly  be 

* The  most  accurate  information  upon  the  industrial  resources  of  the  Valley 
of  the  Amazons  may  be  found  in  a work  published  by  Senhor  Tavares  Bastos, 
on  his  return  to  Rio  de  Janeiro,  after  this  journey,  entitled  “ 0 Valle  do  Ama- 
zonas — Estudo  sobre  a livre  Navega9ad  do  Amazonas,  Estatistiea,  Produc^des, 
Commercio,  Questoes  Fiscaes  do  Valle  do  Amazonas.”  Rio  de  Janeiro.  1866. 


256 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


considered  as  dry  land.  It  is  true  that  in  this  oceanic 
river-system  the  tidal  action  has  an  annual  instead  of  a 
daily  ebb  and  flow,  that  its  rise  and  fall  obey  a larger 
orb,  and  is  ruled  by  the  sun  and  not  the  moon  ; but  it 
is,  nevertheless,  subject  to  all  the  conditions  of  a sub- 
merged district,  and  must  be  treated  as  such.  Indeed, 
these  semiannual  changes  of  level  are  far  more  powerful 
in  their  influence  on  the  life  of  the  inhabitants  than  any 
marine  tides.  People  sail  half  the  year  above  districts 
where  for  the  other  half  they  walk,  though  hardly  dry 
shod,  over  the  soaked  ground  ; their  occupations,  their 
dress,  their  habits  are  modified  in  accordance  with  the 
dry  and  wet  seasons.  And  not  only  the  ways  of  life,  but 
the  whole  aspect  of  the  country,  the  character  of  the 
landscape,  are  changed.  The  two  picturesque  cascades, 
at  one  of  which  we  took  our  bath  the  other  morning, 
and  at  this  season  such  favorite  resorts  with  the  inhabi 
tants  of  Manaos,  will  disappear  in  a few  months,  when 
the  river  rises  for  some  forty  feet  above  its  lowest  level. 
Their  bold  rocks  and  shady  nooks  will  have  become  river 
bottom.  All  that  we  hear  or  read  of  the  extent  of 
the  Amazons  and  its  tributaries  fails  to  give  an  idea  of 
its  immensity  as  a whole.  One  must  float  for  months 
upon  its  surface,  in  order  to  understand  how  fully  water 
has  the  mastery  over  land  along  its  borders.  Its  watery 
labyrinth  is  rather  a fresh-water  ocean,  cut  up  and  di- 
vided by  land,  than  a network  of  rivers.  Indeed,  this 
whole  valley  is  an  aquatic,  not  a terrestrial  basin ; and 
it  is  not  strange,  when  looked  upon  from  this  point  of 
view,  that  its  forests  should  be  less  full  of  life,  compara- 
tively, than  its  rivers. 

While  we  were  discussing  these  points,  talking  of  the 


RETURN  TO  MANAOS. 


257 


time  when  the  banks  of  the  Amazons  will  teem  with  a 
population  more  active  and  vigorous  than  any  it  has  yet 
seen,  — when  all  civilized  nations  will  share  in  its  wealth, 
when  the  twin  continents  will  shake  hands  and  Americans 
of  the  North  come  to  help  Americans  of  the  South  in 
developing  its  resources,  — when  it  will  be  navigated  from 
north  to  south  as  well  as  from  east  to  west,  and  small 
steamers  will  run  up  to  the  head-quarters  of  all  its  tribu- 
taries,— while  we  were  speculating  on  these  things,  we 
were  approaching  the  end  of  our  journey  ; and  as  we 
neared  the  lake,  there  issued  from  its  entrance  a small 
two-masted  canoe,  evidently  bound  on  some  official  mis- 
sion, for  it  carried  the  Brazilian  flag,  and  was  adorned 
with  many  brightly-colored  streamers.  As  it  drew  near 
we  heard  music,  and  a salvo  of  rockets,  the  favorite  Bra- 
zilian artillery  on  all  festive  occasions,  whether  by  day 
or  night,  shot  up  into  the  air.  Our  arrival  had  been 
announced  by  Dr.  Canavaro,  of  Manaos,  who  had  come 
out  the  day  before  to  make  some  preparations  for  our 
reception,  and  this  was  a welcome  to*  the  President  on 
his  first  visit  to  the  Indian  village.  When  they  came 
within  speaking  distance,  a succession  of  hearty  cheers 
went  up  for  the  President,  for  Tavares  Bastos,  whose 
character  as  the  political  advocate  of  the  Amazons  makes 
him  especially  welcome  here,  for  Major  Coutinho,  already 
well  known  from  his  former  explorations  in  this  region, 
and  for  the  strangers  within  their  gates,  — for  the  Professor 
and  his  party.  After  this  reception  they  fell  into  line  be- 
hind our  boat,  and  so  we  came  into  the  little  port  with 
something  of  state  and  ceremony. 

This  pretty  Indian  village  is  hardly  recognized  as  a 
village  at  once,  for  it  consists  of  a number  of  sitios 

Q 


258 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


scattered  through  the  forest ; and  though  the  inhabitants 
look  on  each  other  as  friends  and  neighbors,  yet  from  our 
landing-place  only  one  sitio  is  to  be  seen,  — that  at  which 
we  are  staying.  It  stands  on  a hill  sloping  gently  up 
from  the  lake-shore,  and  consists  of  a mud-house  contain- 
ing two  rooms,  besides  several  large,  open  palm-thatched 
rooms  outside.  One  of  these  outer  sheds  is  the  mandioca 
kitchen,  another  is  the  common  kitchen,  and  a third,  which 
is  just  now  used  as  our  dining-room,  serves  on  festal  days 
and  occasional  Sundays  as  a chapel.  It  differs  from  the 
others  in  having  the  upper  end  closed  in  with  a neat 
thatched  wall,  against  which,  in  time  of  need,  the  altar- 
table  may  stand,  with  candles  and  rough  prints  or  figures 
of  the  Virgin  and  saints.  We  were  very  hospitably  re- 
ceived by  the  Senhora  of  the  mud-house,  an  old  Indian 
woman,  whose  gold  ornaments,  necklace,  and  ear-rings  were 
rather  out  of  keeping  with  her  calico  skirt  and  cotton 
waist.  This  is,  however,  by  no  means  an  unusual  combi- 
nation here.  Beside  the  old  lady,  the  family  t consists,  at 
this  moment,  of  dier  “afilhada”*  (god-daugliter),  with 
her  little  boy,  and  several  other  women  employed  about 
the  place  ; but  it  is  difficult  to  judge  of  the  population 
of  the  sitios  now,  because  a great  number  of  the  men 
have  been  taken  as  recruits  for  the  war  with  Paraguay 
and  others  are  hiding  in  the  forest  for  fear  of  being 
pressed  into  the  same  service.  The  situation  of  this  sitio 
is  exceedingly  pretty,  and  as  we  sit  around  the  table  in 
our  open,  airy  dining-room,  surrounded  by  the  forest,  we 
command  a view  of  the  lake  and  wooded  hillside  opposite 
and  of  the  little  landing  below,  where  are  moored  our 

* This  relation  is  a much  nearer  one  throughout  Brazil  than  with  us.  A 
god-child  is  treated  as  a member  of  their  own  family  by  its  sponsors. 


DINING-ROOM  AT  HYANUARY, 


RETURN  TO  MANAOS. 


259 


barge  with  its  white  awning,  the  gay  canoe,  and  two  or 
three  Indian  montarias.  After  breakfast  our  party  dis- 
persed, some  to  rest  in  their  hammocks,  others  to  hunt 
or  fish,  while  Mr.  Agassiz  was  fully  engaged  in  examining 
a large  basket  of  fish,  Tucanar^s  (Cichla),  Acaras  (Heros 
and  other  genera),  Curimatas  (Anodus),  Surubims  (Pla- 
ty stoma),  &c.,  just  brought  up  from  the  lake  for  his  in- 
spection, and  showing  again,  what  every  investigation  dem- 
onstrates afresh,  namely,  the  distinct  localization  of  species 
in  each  different  water  basin,  be  it  river,  lake,  igarape,  or 
forest  pool. 

One  does  not  see  much  of  the  world  between  one  o’clock 
and  four,  in  this  climate.  These  are  the  hottest  hours  of 
the  day,  and  there  are  few  who  can  resist  the  temptation 
of  the  cool,  swinging  hammock,  slung  in  some  shady  spot 
within  doors  or  without.  After  a little  talk  with  our 
Indian  hostess  and  her  daughter,  I found  a quiet  retreat 
by  the  lake-shore,  where,  though  I had  a book  in  my 
hand,  the  wind  in  the  trees  overhead,  the  water  rippling 
softly  around  the  montarias  moored  at  my  side,  lulled 
me  into  that  mood  of  mind  when  one  may  be  lazy  with- 
out remorse  or  ennui.  The  highest  duty  seems  then  to 
be  to  do  nothing.  The  monotonous  notes  of  a “ Yiola  ” 
came  to  me  from  a group  of  trees  at  a little  distance, 
where  our  boatmen  were  resting  in  the  shade,  the  red 
fringes  of  their  hammocks  giving  to  the  landscape  just 
the  bit  of  color  which  it  needed  ; occasionally  a rustling 
flight  of  parroquets  or  ciganas  overhead  startled  me  for 
a moment,  or  a large  pirarucu  plashed  out  of  the  water, 
tut  except  for  these  sounds  nature  was  still,  and  animals 
as  well  as  men  seemed  to  pause  in  the  heat  and  seek 
shelter.  Dinner  brought  us  all  together  again  at  the 


260 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


close  of  tlie  afternoon.  As  we  are  with  the  President 
of  the  province,  our  picnic  is  of  a much  more  magnificent 
character  than  our  purely  scientific  excursions  have  been. 
Instead  of  our  usual  makeshifts,  — teacups  doing  duty 
as  tumblers,  and  empty  barrels  acting  as  chairs,  — we 
have  a silver  soup-tureen,  and  a cook,  and  a waiter,  and 
knives  and  forks  enough  to  go  round,  and  many  other 
luxuries  which  such  wayfarers  as  ourselves  learn  to  do 
without.  While  we  were  dining,  the  Indians  began  to 
come  in  from  the  surrounding  forest  to  pay  their  respects 
to  the  President,  for  his  visit  was  the  cause  of  great  re- 
joicing, and  there  was  to  be  a ball  in  his  honor  in  the 
evening.  They  brought  an  enormous  cluster  of  game  as 
an  offering.  What  a mass  of  color  it  was!  — more  like  a 
gorgeous  bouquet  of  flowers  than  a bunch  of  birds.  It 
was  composed  entirely  of  Toucans,  with  their  red  and 
yellow  beaks,  blue  eyes,  and  soft  white  breasts  bordered 
with  crimson  ; and  of  parrots,  or  papagaios  as  they  call 
them  here,  with  their  gorgeous  plumage  of  green,  blue, 
purple,  and  red.  When  we  had  dined,  we  took  coffee 
outside,  while  our  places  around  the  table  were  filled 
by  the  Indian  guests,  who  were  to  have  a dinner-party 
in  their  turn.  It  was  pleasant  to  see  with  how  much 
courtesy  several  of  the  Brazilian  gentlemen  of  our  party 
waited  upon  these  Indian  Senhoras,  passing  them  a va- 
riety of  dishes,  helping  them  to  wine,  and  treating  them 
with  as  much  attention  as  if  they  had  been  the  highest 
ladies  of  the  land.  They  seemed,  however,  rather  shy 
and  embarrassed,  scarcely  touching  the  nice  things  placed 
before  them,  till  one  of  the  gentlemen,  who  has  lived  a goocl 
deal  among  the  Indians,  and  knows  their  habits  perfectly, 
took  the  knife  and  fork  from  one  of  them,  exclaiming, 


RETURN  TO  MANAOS. 


261 


u Make  no  ceremony,  and  don’t  be  ashamed  ; eat  with 
your  fingers  as  your  ’re  accustomed  to  do,  and  then  you  ’ll 
find  your  appetites  and  enjoy  your  dinner.”  His  advice 
was  followed,  and  I must  say  they  seemed  much  more 
comfortable  in  consequence,  and  did  more  justice  to  the 
good  fare.  Although  the  Indians  who  live  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  towns  have  seen  too  much  of  the  conven- 
tionalities of  life  not  to  understand  the  use  of  a knife  and 
fork,  no  Indian  will  eat  with  one  if  he  can  help  it. 

When  the  dinner  was  over,  the  room  was  cleared  of  the 
tables  and  swept ; the  music,  consisting  of  a viola,  flute,  and 
violin,  was  called  in,  and  the  ball  was  opened.  The  forest 
belles  were  rather  shy  at  first  in  the  presence  of  strangers  ; 
but  they  soon  warmed  up  and  began  to  dance  with  more 
animation.  They  were  all  dressed  in  calico  or  muslin 
skirts,  with  loose,  cotton  waists,  finished  around  the  neck 
with  a kind  of  lace  they  make  themselves  by  drawing  the 
threads  from  cotton  or  muslin,  so  as  to  form  an  open 
pattern,  sewing  those  which  remain  over  and  over  to  se- 
cure them.  Some  of  this  lace  is  quite  elaborate  and  very 
fine.  Many  of  the  women  had  their  hair  dressed  either 
with  white  jessamine  or  with  roses  stuck  into  their  round 
combs,  and  several  wore  gold  beads  and  ear-rings.  The 
dances  were  different  from  those  I saw  in  Esperanca’s 
cottage,  and  much  more  animated  ; but  the  women  pre- 
served the  same  air  of  quiet  indifference  which  I noticed 
there.  Indeed,  in  all  the  Indian  dances  I have  seen  the 
man  makes  the  advances,  while  the  woman  is  coy  and 
retiring,  her  movements  being  very  languid.  Her  partner 
throws  himself  at  her  feet,  but  does  not  elicit  a smile  or 
a gesture  ; he  stoops  and  pretends  to  be  fishing ; making 
motions  as  if  he  were  drawing  her  in  with  a line,  he 


262 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


dances  around  her,  snapping  his  fingers  as  if  he  were 
playing  on  castanets,  and  half  encircling  her  with  his 
arms,  but  she  remains  reserved  and  cold.  Now  and  then 
they  join  together  in  something  like  a waltz,  but  this 
is  only  occasionally  and  for  a moment.  How  different 
from  the  negro  dances  which  we  saw  frequently  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Rio,  and  in  which  the  advances  generally 
come  from  the  women,  and  are  not  always  of  the  most 
modest  character.  The  ball  was  gayer  than  ever  at  ten 
o’clock  when  I went  to  my  room,  — or  rather  to  the  room 
where  my  hammock  was  slung,  and  which  I shared  with 
Indian  women  and  children,  with  a cat  and  her  family 
of  kittens,  who  slept  on  the  edge  of  my  mosquito-net 
and  made  frequent  inroads  upon  the  inside,  with  hens 
and  chickens  and  sundry  dogs,  who  went  in  and  out. 
The  music  and  dancing,  the  laughter  and  talking  outside, 

. # 

continued  till  the  small  hours.  Every  now  and  then  an 
Indian  girl  would  come  in  to  rest  for  a while,  take  a nap 
in  a hammock,  and  then  return  to  the  dance.  When  we 
first  arrived  in  South  America  we  could  hardly  have  slept 
soundly  under  such  circumstances  ; but  one  soon  becomes 
accustomed,  on  the  Amazons,  to  sleeping  in  rooms  with 
mud  floors  and  mud  walls,  or  with  no  walls  at  all,  where 
rats  and  birds  and  bats  rustle  about  in  the  thatch  over- 
head, and  all  sorts  of  unwonted  noises  in  the  night  suggest 
that  you  are  by  no  means  the  sole  occupant  of  your  apart- 
ment. There  is  one  thing,  however,  which  makes  it  far 
ple'asanter  to  lodge  in  the  houses  of  the  Indians  here  than 
in  those  of  our  poorer  class  at  home.  One  is  quite  indepen- 
dent in  the  matter  of  bedding  ; nobody  travels  without 
his  own  hammock,  and  the  net  which  in  many  places  is  a 
necessity  on  account  of  the  mosquitoes.  Beds  and  bedding 


RETURN  TO  MANAOS. 


263 


are  almost  unknown  ; and  there  are  none  so  poor  as  not 
to  possess  two  or  three  of  the  strong  and  neat  twine 
hammocks  made  by  the  Indians  themselves  from  the  fibres 
of  the  palm.  Then  the  open  character  of  the  houses  and 
the  personal  cleanliness  of  the  Indians  make  the  atmos- 
phere fresher  and  purer  in  their  houses  than  in  those  of 
our  poor.  However  untidy  they  may  be  in  other  respects, 
they  always  bathe  once  or  twice  a day,  if  not  oftener, 
and  wash  their  clothes  frequently.  We  have  never  yet 
entered  an  Indian  house  where  there  was  any  disagree- 
able odor,  unless  it  might  be  the  peculiar  smell  from  the 
preparation  of  the  mandioca  in  the  working-room  outside, 
which  has,  at  a certain  stage  of  the  process,  a slightly 
sour  smell.  We  certainly  could  not  say  as  much  for 
many  houses  where  we  have  lodged  when  travelling  in 
the  West,  or  even  “ Down  East,”  where  the  suspicious 
look  of  the  bedding  and  the  close  air  of  the  room  often 
make  one  doubtful  about  the  night’s  rest. 

This  morning  we  were  up  at  five  o’clock,  and  at  six  we 
had  had  coffee  and  were  ready  for  the  various  projects  sug- 
gested for  our  amusement.  ■ Our  sportsmen  were  already  in 
the  forest,  others  had  gone  off  on  a fishing  excursion  in  a 
montaria,  and  I joined  a party  on  a visit  to  a sitio  higher 
up  on  the  lake.  Mr.  Agassiz  was  obliged  to  deny  himself 
all  these  parties  of  pleasure,  for  the  novelty  and  variety 
of  the  fish  brought  in  kept  him  and  his  artist  constantly 
at  work.  In  this  climate  the  process  of  decomposition 
goes  on  so  rapidly,  that,  unless  the  specimens  are  attended 
to  at  once,  they  are  lost ; and  the  paintings  must  be  made 
while  they  are  quite  fresh,  in  order  to  give  any  idea  of 
their  vividness  of  tint.  Mr.  Burkhardt  is  indefatigable, 
always  busy  with  his  drawing,  in  spite  of  heat,  mosquitoes, 


264 


A JOUKNEY  IN  BEAZIL. 


and  other  discomforts  ; occasionally  lie  makes  not  less  than 
twenty  colored  sketches  of  fishes  in  one  day.  Of  course, 
made  with  such  rapidity,  they  are  mere  records  of  color 
and  outline  ; but  they  will  be  of  immense  service  in  work- 
ing up  the  finished  drawings.*  Leaving  Mr.  Agassiz,  there- 
fore, busy  with  the  preparation  of  his  collections,  and  Mr. 
Burkhardt  painting,  we  went  up  the  lake  through  a strange, 
half-aquatic,  half-terrestrial  region,  where  land  seemed  at 
odds  with  water.  Groups  of  trees  rose  directly  from  the 
lake,  their  roots  hidden  below  its  surface,  while  numerous 
blackened  and  decayed  trunks  stood  up  from  the  water 
in  all  sorts  of  picturesque  and  fantastic  forms.  Sometimes 
the  trees  had  thrown  down  from  their  branches  those  singu- 
lar aerial  roots  so  common  here,  and  seemed  standing  on 
stilts.  Here  and  there,  where  we  coasted  along  by  the 
bank,  we  had  a glimpse  into  the  deeper  forest,  with  its 
drapery  of  lianas  and  various  creeping  vines,  and  its  para- 
sitic sipos  twining  close  around  the  trunks  or  swinging 
themselves  from  branch  to  branch  like  loose  cordage. 
But  usually  the  margin  of  the  lake  was  a gently  sloping 
bank,  covered  with  a green  so  vivid  and  yet  so  soft,  that 
it  seemed  as  if  the  earth  had  been  born  afresh  in  its  six 
months’  baptism,  and  had  come  out  like  a new  creation. 
Here  and  there  a palm  lifted  its  head  above  the  line  of 
forest,  especially  the  light,  graceful  Assai,  its  crown  of 
feathery  leaves  vibrating  above  the  tall,  slender,  smooth 
stem  with  every  breeze.  Half  an  hour’s  row  brought 
us  to  the  landing  of  the  sitio  for  which  we  were  bound. 
Usually  the  sitios  stand  on  the  bank  of  the  lake  or  river, 
a stone’s  throw  from  the  shore,  for  convenience  of  fishing, 

* In  the  course  of  our  journey  on  the  Amazons,  Mr.  Burkhardt  made  more 
than  eight  hundred  paintings  of  fishes,  more  or  less  finished.  — L.  A. 


RETURN  TO  MANAOS. 


265 


bathing,  &c . But  this  one  was  at  some  distance,  witli  a 
very  nicely  kept  path  winding  through  the  forest.  It  stood 
on  the  brow  of  a hill  which  dipped  down  on  the  other 
side  into  a wide  and  deep  ravine ; through  this  ravine 
ran  an  igarap6,  beyond  which  the  land  rose  again  in 
an  undulating  line  of  hilly  ground,  most  refreshing  to 
the  eye  after  the  flat  character  of  the  Upper  Amazonian 
scenery.  The  fact  that  this  sitio,  standing  now  on  a hill 
overlooking  the  valley  and  the  little  stream  at  its  bottom, 
will  have  the  water  nearly  flush  with  the  ground  around  it, 
when  the  igarape  is  swollen  by  the  rise  of  the  river,  gives 
an  idea  of  the  difference  of  aspect  between  the  dry  and 
wet  seasons.  The  establishment  consisted  of  a number 
of  buildings,  the  most  conspicuous  being  a large  open 
room,  which  the  Indian  Senhora  who  did  the  honors  of 
the  house  told  me  was  their  reception-room,  and  was 
often  used,  she  said,  by  the  “ brancas  ” from  Manaos  and 
the  neighborhood  for  an  evening  dance,  when  they  came 
out  in  a large  company  and  passed  the  night.  A low 
wall,  some  three  or  four  feet  in  height,  ran  along  the 
sides,  wooden  benches  being  placed  against  them  for  their 
whole  length.  The  two  ends  were  closed  from  top  to 
bottom  with  a wall  made  of  palm- thatch,  exceedingly 
pretty,  fine,  and  smooth,  and  of  a soft  straw  color.  At 
the  upper  end  stood  an  immense  embroidery-frame,  look- 
ing as  if  it  might  have  served  for  Penelope’s  web,  but 
in  which  was  stretched  an  unfinished  hammock  of  palm- 
thread,  the  Senhora’s  work.  She  sat  down  on  a low  stool 
before  it  and  worked  a little  for  my  benefit,  showing  me 
how  the  two  layers  of  transverse  threads  were  kept  apart 
by  a thick,  polished  piece  of  wood,  something  like  a long, 
broad  ruler.  Through  the  opening  thus  made  the  shuttle 
12 


266 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


is  passed  wit!  the  cross  thread,  which  is  then  pushed  down 
and  straightened  in  its  place  by  means  of  the  same  piece 
of  wood.  After  we  had  rested  for  a while,  hammocks 
of  various  color  and  texture  being  immediately  brought 
and  hung  up  for  our  accommodation,  the  gentlemen  went 
down  to  bathe  in  the  igarape,  while  the  Senhora  and  her 
daughter,  a very  pretty  Indian  woman,  showed  me  the 
rest  of  the  establishment.  The  elder  of  the  two  had  the 
direction  of  everything  now,  as  the  master  of  the  house 
was  absent,  having  a captain’s  commission  in  the  army. 

In  the  course  of  our  conversation  I was  reminded  of  a 
social  feature  which  strikes  us  as  the  more  extraordi- 
nary the  longer  we  remain  on  the  Amazons,  on  account 
of  its  generality.  Here  were  people  of  gentle  condition, 
although  of  Indian  blood,  lifted  above  everything  like 
want,  living  in  comfort  and,  as  compared  with  people 
about  them,  with  a certain  affluence,  — people  from  whom, 
therefore,  in  any  other  society,  you  might  certainly  expect 
a knowledge  of  the  common  rules  of  morality.  Yet  when 
I was  introduced  to  the  daughter,  and  naturally  asked 
something  about  her  father,  supposing  him  to  be  the  absent 
captain,  the  mother  answered,  smiling,  quite  as  a matter 
of  course,  “ Nao  tern  pai  ; e filha  da  fortuna,” — “She 
has  n’t  any  father  ; she  is  the  daughter  of  chance.”  In 
the  same  way,  when  the  daughter  showed  me  two  children 
of  her  own, — little  fair  people,  many  shades  lighter  than 
herself,  — and  I asked  whether  their  father  was  at  the  war, 
like  all  the  rest  of  the  men,  she  gave  me  the  same  answer, 
“ They  have  n’t  any  father.”  It  is  the  way  the  Indian  or 
half-breed  women  here  always  speak  of  their  illegitimate 
children  ; and  though  they  say  it  without  an  intonation  of 
sadness  or  of  blame,  apparent^  as  unconscious  of  any 


RETURN  TO  MANAOS. 


267 


wrong  or  shame  as  if  they  said  the  father  was  absent  or 
dead,  it  has  the  most  melancholy  significance  ; it  seems  to 
speak  of  such  absolute  desertion.  So  far  is  this  from  being 
an  unusual  case,  that  among  the  common  people  the  oppo- 
site seems  the  exception.  Children  are  frequently  quite 
ignorant  of  their  parentage.  They  know  about  their 
mother,  for  all  the  care  and  responsibility  falls  upon 
her,  but  they  have  no  knowledge  of  their  father  ; nor 
does  it  seem  to  occur  to  the  woman  that  she  or  her 
children  have  any  claim  upon  him. 

But  to  return  to  the  sitio.  The  room  I have  described 
stood  on  one  side  of  a cleared  and  neatly  swept  ground, 
about  which,  at  various  distances,  stood  a number  of 
little  thatched  “ casinhas,”  as  they  call  them,  consisting 
mostly  of  a single  room.  But  beside  these  there  was  one 
larger  house,  with  mud  walls  and  floor,  containing  two 
or  three  rooms,  and  having  a wooden  veranda  in  front. 
This  was  the  Senhora’s  private  establishment.  At  a little 
distance  farther  down  on  the  hill  was  the  mandioca  kitchen 
and  all  the  accompanying  apparatus.  Nothing  * could  be 
neater  than  the  whole  area  of  this  sitio,  and  while  we 
were  there  two  or  three  black  girls  were  sent  out  to 
sweep  it  afresh  with  their  stiff  twig-brooms.  Around  lay 
the  plantation  of  mandioca  and  cacao,  with  here  and 
there  a few  coffee-shrubs.  It  is  difficult  to  judge  of  the 
extent  of  these  sitio  plantations,  because  they  are  so  irregu- 
lar and  comprise  such  a variety  of  trees, — mandioca,  coffee, 
cacao,  and  often  cotton,  being  planted  pellmell  together. 
But  this  one,  like  the  whole  establishment,  seemed  larger 
and  better  cared  for  than  those  usually  seen.  On  the 
return  of  the  ^gentlemen  from  the  igarap6  we  took  leave, 
though  very  warmly  pressed  to  stay  and  breakfast.  At 


268 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


parting,  our  Indian  hostess  presented  me.  with  a wicker- 
basket  of  fresh  eggs  and  some  abacatys,  or  alligator  pears 
as  we  call  them.*  We  reached  the  house  just  in  time  for 
a ten  o’clock  breakfast,  which  assembled  all  the  different 
parties  once  more  from  their  various  occupations,  whether 
of  work  or  play.  The  sportsmen  returned  from  the  forest, 
bringing  a goodly  supply  of  toucans,  papagaios,  and  parro- 
quets,  with  a variety  of  other  birds,  and  the  fisherman 
brought  in  new  treasures  for  Mr.  Agassiz. 

October  2$th.  — Yesterday,  after  breakfast,  I retreated  to 
the  room  where  we  had  passed  the  night,  hoping  to  find 
time  and  quiet  for  writing  letters  and  completing  my  jour- 
nal. But  I found  it  already  occupied  by  the  old  Senhofa 
and  her  guests,  who  were  lounging  in  the  hammocks  or 
squatting  on  the  floor  and  smoking  their  pipes.  The 
house  is  indeed  full  to  overflowing,  as  the  whole  party  as- 
sembled for  the  ball  are  to  stay  during  the  President’s 
visit.  But  in  this  way  of  living  it  is  an  easy  matter  to 
accommodate  any  number  of  people,  for  if  they  cannot  all 
be  received  under  the  roof,  they  can  hang  their  hammocks 
under  the  trees  outside.  As  I went  to  my  room  last  even- 
ing, I stopped  to  look  at  a pretty  picture  of  an  Indian 
mother  with  her  two  little  children  asleep  on  either  arm, 
all  in  one  hammock,  in  the  open  air.  My  Indian  friends 
were  too  much  interested  in  my  occupations  to  allow  of 
my  continuing  them  uninterruptedly.  They  were  delight- 
ed with  my  books  (I  happened  to  have  “ The  Naturalist 
on  the  Amazons  ” with  me,  in  which  I showed  them  some 
pictures  of  Amazonian  scenery  and  insects),  and  asked  me 
many  questions  about  my  country,  my  voyage,  and  my 
travels  here.  In  return  they  gave  me  much  information 
* The  fruit  of  the  Persea  gratissima. 


RETURN  TO  MANAOS. 


269 


about  tlieir  own  way  of  life.  They  said  the  present  gath- 
ering of  neighbors  and  friends  was  no  unusual  occurrence, 
for  they  have  a great  many  festas,  which,  though  partly 
religious  in  character,  are  also  occasions  of  great  festivity. 
These  festas  are  celebrated  at  different  sitios  in  turn,  the 
saint  of  the  day  being  carried,  with  all  his  ornaments,  can- 
dles, bouquets,  &c.,  to  the  house  where  the  ceremony  is  to 
take  place,  and  where  all  the  people  of  the  village  congre- 
gate, Sometimes  the  festa  lasts  for  several  days,  and  is 
accompanied  with  processions,  music,  and  dances  in  the 
evening.  But  the  women  said  the  forest  was  very  sad 
now,  because  their  men  had  all  been  taken  as  recruits, 
or  were  seeking  safety  in  the  woods.  The  old  Senhora 
told  me  a sad  story  of  the  brutality  exercised  in  recruit- 
ing the  Indians.  She  assured  me  that  they  were  taken 
wherever  found,  without  regard  to  age  or  circumstances, 
women  and  children  often  being  dependent  upon  them ; 
and  if  they  made  resistance,  were  carried  off  by  force,  and 
frequently  handcuffed  or  had  heavy  weights  attached  to 
their  feet.  Such  proceedings  are  entirely  illegal ; but  these 
forest  villages  are  so  remote,  that  the  men  employed  to 
recruit  may  practice  any  cruelty  without  being  called  to 
account  for  it.  If  the  recruits  are  brought  in  in  good 
condition,  ,no  questions  are  asked.  These  women  said 
that  all  the  work  of  the  sitios  — the  making  of  farinha, 
the  fishing,  the  turtle-hunting  — was  stopped  for  want  of 
hands.  The  appearance  of  things  certainly  confirms  this, 
for  we  scarcely  see  any  men  in  the  villages,  and  the  ca- 
noes we  meet  are  mostly  rowed  by  women. 

Yet  I must  say  that  the  life  of  the  Indian  woman,  so 
far  as  we  have  seen  it,  seems  enviable,  in  comparison  with 
that  of  the  Brazilian  lady  in  the  Amazonian  towns.  The 


270 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


former  has  a healthful  out-of-door  life  ; she  has  her  canoe 
on  the  lake  or  river  and  her  paths  through  the  forest,  with 
perfect  liberty  to  come  and  go  ; she  has  her  appointed  daily 
occupations,  being  busy  not  only  with  the  care  of  her  house 
and  children,  but  in  making  farinha  or  tapioca,  or  in  drying 
and  rolling  tobacco,  while  the  men  are  fishing  and  turtle- 
hunting ; and  she  has  her  frequent  festa-days  to  enliven 
her  working  life.  It  is,  on  the  contrary,  impossible  to 
imagine  anything  more  dreary  and  monotonous  than  the 
life  of  the  Brazilian  Senhora  in  the  smaller  towns.  In 
the  northern  provinces  especially  the  old  Portuguese  no- 
tions about  shutting  women  up  and  making  their  home- 
life  as  colorless  as  that  of  a cloistered  nun,  without  even 
the  element  of  religious  enthusiasm  to  give  it  zest,  still 
prevail.  Many  a Brazilian  lady  passes  day  after  day  with- 
out stirring  beyond  her  four  walls,  scarcely  ever  show- 
ing herself  at  the  door  or  window;  for  she  is  always  in  a 
slovenly  dishabille,  unless  she  expects  company.  It  is  sad 
to  see  these  stifled  existences  ; without  any  contact  with 
the  world  outside,  without  any  charm  of  domestic  life, 
without  books  or  culture  of  any  kind,  the  Brazilian  Sen- 
hora in  this  part  of  the  country  either  sinks  contentedly 
into  a vapid,  empty,  aimless  life,  or  frets  against  her  chains, 
and  is  as  discontented  as  she  is  useless. 

On  the  day  of  our  arrival  the  dinner  was  interrupted 
by  the  entrance  of  the  Indians  with  their  greetings  and 
presents  of  game  to  the  President ; yesterday  it  was  en- 
livened by  quite  a number  of  appropriate  toasts  and  speech- 
es. I thought,  as  we  sat  around  the  dinner-table,  there  had 
probably  never  been  gathered  under  the  palm-roof  of  an 
Indian  house  on  the  Amazons  just  such  a party  before, 
combining  so  many  different  elements  and  objects.  There 


RETURN  TO  MANAOS. 


271 


was  the  President,  whose  chief  interest  was  of  course  in 
administering  the  affairs  of  the  province,  in  which  the 
Indians  shared  largely  his  attention  ; there  was  the  young 
statesman,  whose  whole  heart  is  in  the  great  national 
question  of  peopling  the  Amazons  and  opening  it  to  the 
world,  and  the  effect  this  movement  is  to  have  upon  his 
country ; there  was  the  able  engineer,  much  of  whose 
scientific  life  has  been  passed  in  surveying  the  great  river 
and  its  tributaries  with  a view  to  their  future  naviga 
tion  ; and  there  was  the  man  of  pure  science,  come  to 
study  the  distribution  of  animal  life  in  their  waters,  with- 
out any  view  to  practical  questions.  The  speeches  touched 
upon  all  these  different  interests,  and  were  received  with 
enthusiasm,  each  one  closing  with  a toast  and  music ; 
for  our  little  band  of  the  night  before  was  brought  in 
to  enliven  the  occasion.  The  Brazilians  are  very  happy 
in  their  after-dinner  speeches,  expressing  themselves  with 
great  facility,  either  from  a natural  gift  or  because  speech- 
making is  an  art  in  which  they  have  had  much  practice. 
The  habit  of  drinking  healths  and  giving  toasts  is  very 
general  throughout  the  country,  and  the  most  informal 
dinner  among  intimate  friends  does  not  conclude  without 
some  mutual  greetings  of  this  kind. 

As  we  were  taking  coffee  under  the  trees  afterwards, 
having  yielded  our  places,  in  the  primitive  dining-room,  to 
the  Indian  guests,  the  President  suggested  a sunset  row 
on  the  lake.  The  hour  and  the  light  were  most  tempt- 
ing, and  we  were  soon  off  in  the  canoe,  taking  no  boat- 
men, the  gentlemen  preferring  to  row  themselves.  We 
went  through  the  same  lovely  region,  half  water,  half 
land,  which  we  had  passed  in  the  morning,  floating  be- 
tween patches  of  greenest  grass,  and  by  large  forest  trees. 


272 


A JOUENEY  IN  BEAZIL. 


and  blackened  trunks  standing  out  of  the  lake  like  ruins. 
We  did  not  go  very  fast  nor  very  far,  for  our  amateur 
boatmen  found  the  evening  warm,  and  their  rowing  was 
rather  play  than  work  ; they  stopped,  too,  every  now  and 
then,  to  get  a shot  at  a white  heron  or  to  shoot  into  a flock 
of  parroquets  or  ciganas,  whereby  they  wasted  a good  deal 
of  powder  to  no  effect.  As  we  turned  to  come  back  we 
were  met  by  one  of  the  prettiest  sights  I have  ever  seen. 
The  Indian  women,  having  finished  their  dinner,  had  taken 
the  little  two-masted  canoe,  dressed  with  flags,  which  had 
been  prepared  for  the  President’s  reception,  and  had  come 
out  to  meet  us.  They  had  the  music  on  board  and  there 
were  two  or  three  men  in  the  boat ; but  the  women  were 
some  twelve  or  fifteen  in  number,  and  seemed,  like  genuine 
Amazons,  to  have  taken  things  into  their  own  hands.  They 
were  rowing  with  a will ; and  as  the  canoe  drew  near,  with 
music  playing  and  flags  flying,  the  purple  lake,  dyed  in  the 
sunset  and  smooth  as  a mirror,  gave  back  the  picture. 
Every  tawny  figure  at  the  oars,  every  flutter  of  the  crim- 
son and  blue  streamers,  every  fold  of  the  green  and  yellow 
national  flag  at  the  prow,  was  as  distinct  below  the  surface  as 
above  it.  The  fairy  boat  — for  so  it  looked  — floating  be- 
tween glowing  sky  and  water,  and  seeming  to  borrow  color 
from  both,  came  on  apace  ; and  as  it  approached,  our  friends 
greeted  us  with  many  a Viva , to  which  we  responded  as 
heartily.  Then  the  two  canoes  joined  company  and  we 
went  on  together,  the  guitar  sometimes  being  taken  into 
one  canoe  and  sometimes  into  the  other,  while  Brazilian  and 
Indian  songs  followed  each  other.  Anything  more  national, 
more  completely  imbued  with  tropical  coloring  and  charac- 
ter than  this  evening  scene  on  the  lake,  can  hardly  be 
conceived.  When  we  reached  the  landing,  the  gold  and 


RETURN  TO  MANAOS. 


273 


rose-colored  clouds  were  fading  into  soft  masses  of  white 
and  aslien  gray,  and  moonlight  was  taking  the  place  of 
sunset.  As  we  went  up  the  green  slope  to  the  sitio,  a 
dance  on  the  grass  was  proposed,  and  the  Indian  girls 
formed  a quadrille  ; for  thus  much  of  civilization  has 
crept  into  their  native  manners,  though  they  throw  into 
it  so  much  of  their  own  characteristic  movements,  that 
it  loses  something  of  its  conventional  aspect.  Then  we 
returned  to  the  house,  where  the  dancing  and  singing 
were  renewed,  while  here  and  there  groups  sat  about  on 
the  ground  laughing  and  talking,  the  women  smoking 
with  as  much  enjoyment  as  the  men.  Smoking  is  almost 
universal  among  the  common  women  here,  yet  is  not  con- 
fined to  the  lower  classes.  Many  a Senhora  (at  least  in 
this  part  of  Brazil,  for  we  must  distinguish  between  the 
civilization  on  the  banks  of  the  Amazons  and  in  the  in- 
terior and  that  in  the  cities  along  the  coast)  enjoys  her 
pipe,  while  she  lounges  in  her  hammock  through  the  heat 
of  the  day. 

October  30 th.  — Yesterday  our  party  broke  up.  The 
Indian  women  came  to  bid  us  good-by  after  breakfast, 
and  dispersed  to  their  several  homes,  going  off  in  various 
directions  through  the  forest-paths  in  little  groups,  their 
babies,  of  whom  there  were  a goodly  number,  astride  on 
their  hips,  as  usual,  and  the  older  children  following. 
Mr.  Agassiz  passed  the  morning  in  packing  and  arranging 
his  fishes,  having  collected  in  those  two  days  more  than 
seventy  new  species.*  His  studies  have  been  the  subject 

* I was  indebted  to  the  President  for  many  valuable  specimens  on  this 
excursion,  many  of  the  birds  and  fishes  brought  in  by  the  Indians  for  the 
table  being  turned  over  to  the  scientific  collections.  My  young  friends 
Dexter  and  James  were  also  efficient,  passing  always  a part  of  the  day  in 
the  woods,  and  assisting  me  greatly  in  the  preparation  and  preservation  of  the 
19  * 


B 


274 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


of  great  curiosity  to  the  people  about  the  sitio  ; one  or 
two  were  always  hovering  about  to  look  at  his  work  and 
to  watch  Mr.  Burkliardt’s  drawing.  They  seemed  to  think 
it  extraordinary  that  any  one  should  care  to  take  the  por- 
trait of  a fish.  The  familiarity  of  these  children  of  the 
forest  with  the  natural  objects  about  them  — plants,  birds, 
insects,  fishes,  etc.  — is  remarkable.  They  frequently  ask  to 
see  the  drawings ; and  in  turning  over  a pile  containing  sev- 
eral hundred  colored  sketches  of  fishes,  they  scarcely  make 
a mistake,  — even  the  children  giving  the  name  instantly, 
and  often  adding,  “ E filho  d’este,”  (it  is  the  child  of  such 
an  one,)  thus  distinguishing  the  young  from  the  adult,  and 
pointing  out  their  relation. 

We  dined  rather  earlier  than  usual,  our  chief  dish  being 
a stew  of  parrots  and  toucans,  and  left  the  sitio  at  about 
five  o’clock,  in  three  canoes,  the  music  accompanying  us 
in  the  smaller  boat.  Our  Indian  friends  stood  on  the 
shore  as  we  left,  giving  us  farewell  greetings,  waving 
their  hats  and  hands,  and  cheering  heartily.  The  after- 
noon row  through  the  lake  and  igarape  was  delicious  ; 
but  the  sun  had  long  set  as  we  issued  from  the  little 
river,  and  the  Rio  Negro,  where  it  opens  broadly  out  into 
the  Amazons,  was  a sea  of  silver.  The  boat  with  the 
music  presently  joined  our  canoe,  and  we  had  a number 
of  the  Brazilian  “ modinhas,”  as  they  call  them,  — songs 
which  seem  especially  adapted  for  the  guitar.  These  mo- 

specimens.  Among  others  we  made  a carious  skeleton  of  a large  black  Doras, 
a species  remarkable  for  the  row  of  powerful  scales  extending  along  the  side, 
each  one  provided  with  a sharp  hook  bent  backward.  It  is  the  species  I have 
described,  in  Spix  and  Martius’s  great  work,  under  the  name  of  Doras  Hum- 
boldti.  The  anterior  vertebrae  form  a bony  swelling  of  a spongeous  texture, 
resembling  drums,  on  each  side  of  the  backbone.  — L.  A. 


RETURN  TO  MANAOS. 


275 


dinhas  have  a quite  peculiar  character.  They  are  little 
graceful,  lyrical  snatches  of  song,  with  a rather  melan- 
choly cadence  ; even  those  of  which  the  words  are  gay 
not  being  quite  free  from  this  undertone  of  sadness. 
This  put  us  all  into  a somewhat  dreamy  mood,  and  we 
approached  the  end  of  our  journey  rather  silently.  But 
as  we  drew  near  the  landing,  we  heard  the  sound  of  a 
band  of  brass  instruments,  effectually  drowning  our  feeble 
efforts,  and  saw  a crowded  canoe  coming  towards  us. 
They  were  the  boys  from  the  Indian  school  which  we 
visited  on*  our  previous  stay  at  Manaos.  The  canoe 
looked  very  pretty  as  it  came  towards  us  in  the  moon- 
light ; it  seemed  full  to  overflowing,  the  children  all 
dressed  in  white  uniforms  and  standing  up.  This  little 
band  comes  always  on  Sunday  evenings  and  festa-days 
to  play  before  the  President’s  house.  They  were  just 
going  home,  it  being  nearly  ten  o’clock  ; but  the  President 
called  to  them  to  turn  back,  and  they  accompanied  us  to 
the  beach,  playing  all  the  while.  Thus  our  pleasant  three 
days’  picnic  ended  with  music  and  moonlight. 


276 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

MANAOS  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD. 


Photographic  Establishment.  — Indian  Portraits.  — Excursion  to  the 
“ Great  Cascade.”  — Its  Geological  Formation.  — Bathing  Pool.  — 
Parasitic  Plants.  — Return  by  the  Igakape.  — Public  Ball. — Severity 
in  Recruiting,  and  its  Effects.  — Collecting  Parties.  — Scenes  of  In- 
dian Life.  — F£te  Champetre  at  the  “ Casa  dos  Educandos.”  — Prison 
at  Manaos.  — Prison  Discipline  on  the  Amazons.  — Extracts  from 
Presidential  Reports  on  this  Subject.  — Prison  at  Teffe.  — General 
Character  of  Brazilian  Institutions.  — Emperor’s  Birthday.  — Illu- 
minations and  Public  Festivities.  — Return  of  Collecting  Parties.  — 
Remarks  on  the  Races.  — Leave  Manaos  for  Mauhes. 

Saturday , November  4 th . — Manaos.  This  week  has  been 
rather  uneventful.  Mr.  Agassiz  is  prevented  from  undertak- 
ing new  expeditions  by  the  want  of  alcohol.  The  next  steam- 
er will  bring  a fresh  supply  from  Pard  ; and  meanwhile, 
being  interrupted  in  his  collections,  he  is  making  a study 
of  the  various  intermixture  of  races,  Indians  and  Negroes, 
with  their  crossings,  of  which  a great  number  are  found 
here.  Our  picturesque  barrack  of  a room,  which  we 
have  left  for  more  comfortable  quarters  in  Mr.  Honorio’s 
house,  serves  as  a photographic  saloon,  and  here  Mr.  Agassiz 
is  at  work  half  the  day  with  his  young  friend  Mr.  Hunne- 
well,  who  spent  almost  the  whole  time  of  our  stay  in  Rio 
in  learning  photography,  and  has  become  quite  expert  in 
taking  likenesses.  The  grand  difficulty  is  found  in  the 
prejudices  of  the  people  themselves.  There  is  a prevalent 
superstition  among  the  Indians  and  Negroes  that  a portrait 
absorbs  into  itself  something  of  the  vitality  of  the  sitter, 
and  that  any  one  is  liable  to  die  shortly  after  his  picture 
is  taken.  This  notion  is  so  deeply  rooted  that  it  has  been 


MANAOS  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD.  '277 

no  easy  matter  to  overcome  it.  However,  of  late  the  de- 
sire to  see  themselves  in  a picture  is  gradually  gaining  the 
ascendant,  the  example  of  a few  courageous  ones  having 
emboldened  the  more  timid,  and  models  are  much  more 
easily  obtained  now  than  they  were  at  first. 

Yesterday  our  quiet  life  was  interrupted  by  an  excursion 
to  the  great  cascade,  where  we  went  with  a party  of  friends 
to  breakfast  and  dine.  We  were  called  with  the  dawn, 
and  were  on  the  road  at  six  o’clock,  the  servants  following 
laden  with  baskets  of  provisions.  The  dewy  walk  through 
the  woods  in  the  early  morning  was  very  pleasant,  and  we 
arrived  at  the  little  house  above  the  cascade  before  the 
heat  of  the  day  began.  This  house  stands  on  a hill  in  a 
cleared  ground  entirely  surrounded  by  forest ; just  below 
it  the  river  comes  rushing  through  the  wood,  and  falls 
some  ten  feet  over  a thin  platform  of  rock.  By  its  forma- 
tion, this  cascade  is  a Niagara  in  miniature ; that  is,  the 
lower  layer  of  rock  being  softer  than  the  upper,  the  water 
has  worn  it  away  until  there  now  remains  only  a thin 
slab  of  harder  rock  across  the  river.  Deprived  of  its  sup- 
port, this  slab  must  break  down  eventually,  as  Table-rock 
has  done,  when  the  cascade  will,  of  course,  retreat  by  so 
much  and  begin  the  same  process  a little  higher  up.  It 
has,  no  doubt,  thus  worn  its  way  upward  already  from  a 
distant  point.  The  lower  deposit  is  clay,  the  upper  consists 
of  the  constantly  recurring  reddish  sandstone,  — in  other 
words,  drift  worked  over  by  water.  . Below  the  fall,  the 
water  goes  tearing  along  through  a narrow  passage,  over 
boulders,  fallen  trees,  and  decaying  logs,  which  break 
it  into  rapids.  At  a little  distance  from  the  cascade 
there  is  a deep,  broad  basin  in  the  wood,  with  a sand 
bottom,  so  overshadowed  by  great  trees  that  it  looks  dark 


278 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


even  in  tropical  midday.  The  bathing  here,  as  we  found 
by  experience  at  a later  hour,  is  most  delicious.  The 
shade  over  the  pool  is  so  profound  and  the  current  runs 
through  it  so  swiftly  that  the  water  is  exceedingly  cold,  — 
an  unusual  thing  here,  — and  it  seems  very  refreshing  to 
those  coming  from  the  hot  sun  outside.  At  the  side  of  this 
pool  I saw  a very  large  parasitic  plant  in  flower.  Since  we 
have  been  on  the  Amazons  most  of  these  parasites  have  been 
out  of  bloom,  and,  though  we  have  seen  beautiful  collections 
in  private  gardens,  we  have  not  met  them  in  the  woods. 
This  one  was  growing  in  the  lofty  notch  of  a great  tree, 
overhanging  the  water  ; a tuft  of  dark  green  leaves  with 
large  violet  and  straw-colored  blossoms  among  them.  It 
was  quite  out  of  reach,  and  the  little  garden  looked  so 
pretty  in  its  airy  perch,  that  I was  almost  glad  we  had  no 
power  to  disturb  it.  After  breakfast  some  of  the  guests, 
and  Mr.  Agassiz  among  them,  were  obliged  to  return  to 
town  on  business.  They  rejoined  us  in  time  for  a late 
dinner,  arriving  in  a canoe  instead  of  coming  on  foot, 
an  experiment  which  we  had  been  prevented  from  trying 
in  the  morning,  because  we  had  been  told  that,  as  the 
igarape  was  low  and  the  bottom  very  rocky,  it  would  be 
impossible  to  ascend  the  whole  distance  in  a boat.  They 
came,  however,  in  perfect  safety,  and  were  delighted  with 
the  picturesque  beauty  of  the  row.  After  a very  cheerful 
dinner,  closing  with  a cup  of  coffee  in  the  open  air,  we 
started  at  twilight  for  town,  by  different  roads.  Desirous 
to  see  the  lower  course  of  the  igarap6,  which  Mr.  Agassiz 
reported  as  so  beautiful,  and  being  assured  that  there  was 
no  real  danger,  I returned  in  the  little  canoe  with  Mr. 
Honorio.  It  was  thought  best  not  to  overload  it,  so  the 
others  took  the  forest  road  by  which  we  had  come  in  the 


MANAOS  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD 


279 


morning.  I must  say  that  as  I went  down  the  rough 
steps  to  the  landing,  in  the  very  pool  where  we  had 
bathed,  it  struck  me  that  the  undertaking  was  somewhat 
perilous  ; if  this  overshadowed  nook  was  dark  at  noonday, 
it  was  black  at  nightfall,  and  the  turbulent  little  stream, 
rushing  along  over  rocks  and  logs,  looked  mischievous.  The 
rest  of  the  party  went  with  us  to  the  embarkation,  and, 
as  we  disappeared  in  the  darkness  under  the  overhanging 
branches,  one  of  them  called  after  us,  laughingly, 

“Lasciate  ogni  speranza,  voi  che  ’ntrate.” 

However,  there  was  only  danger  enough  to  laugh  at,  none 
to  give  real  concern,  and  I enjoyed  the  row  through  the 
narrow  channel,  where  the  trees  met  overhead,  and  where 
the  boatmen  were  obliged  to  jump  into  the  water  to  guide 
the  canoe  among  the  boulders  and  fallen  trunks.  We 
reached  home  in  perfect  safety,  and  in  time  to  welcome 
the  others  when  they  arrived  on  foot, 

November  8 th.  — Manaos  has  been  in  unwonted  agitation, 
for  the  last  few  days,  on  the  subject  of  a public  ball  to  be 
given  in  honor  of  Mr.  Tavares  Bastos.  Where  it  should 
take  place,  what  should  be  the  day  and  hour,  and,  among 
the  Senhoras,  what  one  should  wear,  have  been  the  subjects 
of  discussion.  The  doubtful  questions  were  at  last  settled, 
and  it  was  appointed  for  the  fifth  of  the  month,  in  tlie% 
President’s  palace.  “ Palace”  is  the  name  always  given 
.to  the  residence  of  the  President  of  the  province,  however 
little  the  house  may  be  in  keeping  with  the  title.  The 
night  was  not  so  auspicious  as  could  have  been  wished  ; 
it  was  very  dark,  and,  as  no  such  luxury  as  a carriage  is 
known  here,  the  different  parties  might  be  seen  groping 
through  the  streets  at  the  appointed  hour,  lighted  with 


280 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


lanterns.  Every  now  and  then,  as  we  were  on  our  way, 
a ball-dress  would  emerge  from  the  darkness  of  an  oppo- 
site corner,  picking  its  way  with  great  care  along  the 
muddy  ruts.  When  we  had  all  assembled,  however,  I 
did  not  see  that  any  toilet  had  suffered  seriously  on  the 
road.  The  dresses  were  of  every  variety,  from  silks  and 
satins  to  stuff  gowns,  and  the  complexions  of  all  tints, 
from  the  genuine  negro  through  paler  shades  of  Indian 
and  negro  to  white.  There  is  absolutely  no  distinction 
of  color  here  ; a black  lady,  always  supposing  her  to  be 
free,  is  treated  with  as  much  consideration  and  meets 
with  as  much  attention  as  a white  one.  It  is,  however, 
rare  to  see  a person  in  society  who  can  be  called  a genuine 
negro  ; but  there  are  many  mulattoes  and  mamelucos,  that 
is,  persons  having  black  or  Indian  blood.  There  is  little 
ease  in  Brazilian  society,  even  in  the  larger  cities  ; still 
less  in  the  smaller  ones,  where,  to  guard  against  mistakes, 
the  conventionalities  of  town  life  are  exaggerated.  The  Bra- 
zilians, indeed,  though  so  kind  and  hospitable,  are  a formal 
people,  fond  of  etiquette  and  social  solemnities.  On  their 
arrival,  all  the  Senhoras  were  placed  in  stiff  rows  around 
the  walls  of  the  dancing -room.  Occasionally  an  unfortu- 

nate cavalier  would  stray  in  and  address  a few  words 
to  this  formidable  array  of  feminine  charms  ; but  it  was 
not  until  the  close  of  the  evening,  when  the  dancing  had 
broken  up  the  company  into  groups,  that  the  scene  became 
really  gay.  At  intervals,  trays  of  “ doces  ” and  tea  were 
handed  round,  and  at  twelve  there  was  a more  solid  repast, 
at  which  all  the  ladies  were  seated,  their  partners  standing 
behind  their  chairs  and  waiting  upon  them.  Then  began 
the  toasts  and  healths,  which  were  given  and  received  with 
great  enthusiasm.  After  supper  the  dancing  was  renewed 


MANAOS  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD. 


281 


and  continued  till  after  midnight,  when  the  steamer  from 
Pard  was  seen  coming  into  port,  throwing  up  rockets  and 
burning  blue-lights  as  she  advanced,  to  announce  that  she 
was  the  bearer  of  good  tidings  from  the  war.  This,  of 
course,  gave  general  satisfaction,  and  the  ball  broke  up 
in  great  hilarity.  There  were  some  who  did  not  sleep 
at  all  that  night,  for  many  of  the  gentlemen  went  from 
tie  ball-room  to  the  steamer  in  search  of  the  papers, 
which  brought  the  news  of  a decided  victory  over  the  Para- 
guayans, at  Uruguayana,  where  the  Emperor  commanded 
in  person.  It  is  said  that  seven  thousand  prisoners  were 
taken.  The  next  night  the  ball  was  renewed  in  honor 
of  this  victory  ; so  that  Manaos,  whose  inhabitants  com- 
plain of  the  life  as  very  dull,  has  had  a most  unwonted 
rush  of  gayety  this  week. 

November  9th.  — The  severity  in  recruiting,  of  which  we 
heard  so  much  at  the  Lake  of  Hyanuary,  is  beginning  to 
bear  its  fruits  in  general  discontent.  Some  of  the  recruits 
have  made  their  escape,  and,  on  Tuesday  and  Wednesday, 
before  the  steamer  in  which  they  were  to  go  down  to  Para 
sailed,  the  disturbance  was  so  great  among  them  that  they 
were  kept  under  lock  and  key.  The  impression  seems 
to  be  general  here  that  the  province  of  the  Amazonas  has 
been,  called  upon  to  bear  more  than  its  share  of  the 
burden,  and  that  the  defencelessness  of  the  Indians  in 
the  scattered  settlements  has  made  them  especially  victims.* 
As  there  was  no  other,  armed  force  here,  several  of  the 
crew  of  the  “ Ibicuhy  ” were  taken  to  go  down  to  Para 
as  guard  over  the  unruly  troops.  Partly  in  consequence 
of  this,  , we  have  resolved  to  remain  at  Manaos  till  the 
end  of  the  month  ; a delay  which  Mr.  Agassiz  does  not 
regret,  as  it  enables  him  to  continue  the  comparison  of 


282 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


the  races  which  he  has  begun,  and  for  which  the  circum- 
stances here  are  unusually  favorable.  In  the  mean  time 
the  President  has  provided  him  with  canoes  and  men  for 
three  separate  expeditions,  on  which  he  sends  off  three  par- 
ties this  week : Mr.  Talisman  and  Mr.  Dexter  to  the  Rio 
Negro  and  Rio  Branco,  to  be  absent  six  weeks  ; Mr.  Thayer 
and  Mr.  Bourget  to  Lake  Cudajas,  to  be  gone  ten  days ; 
Mr.  James  to  Manacapuru,  for  about  the  same  time. 
We  feel  the  generosity  of  this  conduct  the  more,  know- 
ing how  greatly  the  administration  stands  in  need  of  men 
and  of  all  the  resources  at  its  command  in  the  present 
disturbed  state  of  things. 

November  18 th.  — One  can  hardly  walk  in  any  directibn 
out  of  the  town  without  meeting  something  characteristic 
of  the  people  and  their  ways  of  living.  At  seven  o’clock, 
to-day,  I took  my  morning  walk  through  the  wood  near 
the  house  to  an  igarape,  which  is  the  scene  of  much  of 
the  out-of-doors  life  here, — fishing,  washing,  bathing,  turtle- 
shooting.  As  I returned  along  the  little  path  leading 
by  the  side  of  the  stream,  two  naked  Indian  boys  were 
shooting  fish  with  bow  and  arrows  from  a fallen  tree 
which  jutted  out  into  the  stream.  Like  bronze  statues 
they  looked,  as  they  stood  quiet  and  watchful,  in  attitudes 
full  of  grace  and  strength,  their  bows  drawn  ready  to  let 
the  arrow  fly  the  moment  they  should  catch  sight  of  the 
fish.  The  Indian  boys  are  wonderfully  skilful  in  this 
sport,  and  also  in  shooting  arrows  through  long  blow-pipes 
(Sarabatanas)  to  kill  birds.  This  is  no  bad  way  of  shooting, 
for  the  report  of  the  gun  startles  the  game  so  effectually  in 
these  thick  forests,  that  after  a few  shots  the  sportsman 
finds  the  woods  in  his  immediate  neighborhood  deserted  ; 
whereas  the  Indian  boy  creeps  stealthily  up  to  the  spot 


MANAOS  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD. 


283 


from  which  he  takes  aim  and  discharges  his  noiseless 
arrow  with  such  precision,  that  the  bird  or  monkey  drops 
down  from  among  its  companions,  without  their  perceiving 
the  cause  of  its  disappearance.  While  I was  watching  the 
boys,  a canoe  came  up  the  stream,  paddled  by  women,  and 
loaded  with  fruit  and  vegetables,  on  the  top  of  which  sat 
two  bright  green  parrots.  Two  of  the  women  were  old 
and  hideous,  very  wrinkled  and  withered,  as  these  people 
usually  are  in  old  age  ; but  the  third  was  the  handsomest 
Indian  woman  I have  ever  seen,  with  a tinge  of  white 
blood  to  be  sure,  for  her  skin  was  fairer  and  her  features 
more  regular  than  those  of  the  Indians  generally.  They 
were  coming  from  their  sitio,  as  I learned  afterwards. 
When  they  had  moored  their  boat  to  a tree,  the  younger 
woman  began  to  unload,  tucking  her  petticoat  about  her 
hips,  and  wading  to  and  fro  with  baskets  of  fruit  and 
vegetables  on  her  head.  Her  hair  was  dressed  with  flow- 
ers, as  is  usual  with  these  women  ; however  scanty  their 
clothing,  they  seldom  forget  this  ornament. 

November  20th.  — The  President,  Dr.  Epaminondas,  added 
yesterday  to  the  many  kindnesses  by  which  he  has  rendered 
our  stay  here  doubly  pleasant,  in  giving  an  exceedingly 
pretty  fete  in  honor  of  Mr.  Agassiz.  The  place  chosen 
was  the  asylum  for  Indian  children  already  described, 
well  adapted  for  the  purpose  on  account  of  its  large,  airy 
rooms  and  beautiful  situation  ; and  the  invitation  was  given 
out  in  the  name  of  the  “ Province  of  the  Amazonas.”  * 

* I trust  that  the  motive  will  not  be  misunderstood  which  induces  me  to  add 
here  a translation  of  the  general  cards  of  invitation  distributed  on  this  occasion. 
The  graceful  expression  of  a thought  so  kind,  and  the  manner  in  which  the 
President  merges  his  own  personality  in  the  name  of  the  Province  of  which 
he  is  the  administrative  head,  are  so  characteristic  of  his  mingled  courtesy  and 
modesty,  that  I am  tempted  to  insert  the  note,  notwithstanding  its  personal 


284 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


The  day  was  most  propitious  ; a rain  during  the  night 
had  cooled  the  air,  and  a slightly  overcast  sky,  combined 
with  the  freshness  of  the  atmosphere,  gave  just  the  con- 
ditions most  desirable  for  any  such  excursion  in  this 
climate.  When  we  reached  the  beach  from  which  we 
were  to  leave,  people  were  beginning  to  assemble,  and  a 
number  of  canoes  were  already  on  their  way,  looking 
very  gay  with  their  white  awnings  above  and  the  bright 
dresses  inside.  Twenty  minutes’  row  brought  us  to  our 
destination.  The  scene  was  very  pretty ; the  path  from 
the  landing  to  the  main  house  was  lined  with  flags  and 

character.  Unfortunately,  I cannot  always  do  full  justice  to  the  kindness 
shown  Mr.  Agassiz  throughout  our  journey,  or  to  the  general  appreciation 
of  his  scientific  objects,  without  introducing  testimonials  into  this  narrative 
which  it  would  perhaps  he  more  becoming  in  me  to  suppress.  But  I do  not 
know  how  otherwise  to  acknowledge  our  obligations,  and  I trust  it  will  be 
attributed,  by  candid  readers,  to  the  true  motive,  — to  gratitude  and  not  to 
egotism. 

“ The  scientific  labors  undertaken  at  this  time  by  the  learned  and  illustrious 
Professor  Agassiz  in  this  Province,  merit  from  the  Amazonenses  the  most 
sincere  gratitude  and  acknowledgment,  and  elicit  on  our  part  a manifestation 
by  which  we  seek  to  show  due  appreciation  of  his  high  intellectual  merit. 
I wish  that  for  this  object  I could  dispose  of  more  abundant  resources,  or 
that  the  Province  had  in  readiness  better  means  of  showing  the  veneration 
and  cordial  esteem  we  all  bear  to  him,  the  respect  and  admiration  we  feel 
for  his  scientific  explorations.  But  the  uncertainty  of  his  stay  among  us 
obliges  me  to  offer  at  once  some  proof,  however  insignificant,  of  our  profound 
esteem  for  this  most  deserving  American. 

“ To  this  end,  the  accomplishment  of  which  I cannot  longer  defer,  I invite  all 
to  join  me  in  offering  to  Professor  Agassiz  and  to  his  wife,  in  the  name  of  the 
Province  of  the  Amazonas,  a modest  rural  breakfast  ( almogo  campestre)  in  the 
Casa  dos  Educandos,  on  Sunday,  the  18th  of  this  month,  at  11  o’clock  in  the 
morning.  I hereby  invite  you  and  your  family  to  be  present,  in  order  that  this 
festival,  great  in  the  earnestness  of  our  intentions,  however  small  as  compared 
with  the  importance  of  those  to  whom  it  is  offered,  should  be  gay  and  brilliant. 

“ Antonio  Epaminondas  de  Mello. 

“ Palace  of  the  Government  at  Manaos,  13  November , 1865.” 


M ANAOS  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD. 


285 


with  palm-trees  brought  from  the  forest  for  the  occasion, 
and  the  open  sides  of  the  large  rooms  outside,  usually 
working-rooms,  but  now  fitted  up  for  the  breakfast,  were 
all  filled  in  with  green  arches  built  of  trees  and  flowers, 
so  that  the  whole  space  was  transformed,  for  the  time 
being,  into  an  arbor.  We  were  received  with  music  and 
conducted  to  the  main  building,  where  all  the  guests 
gradually  assembled,  some  two  hundred  in  number.  At 
.about  one  o’clock  the  President  led  the  way  to  the  green 
arcades  which,  as  yet,  we  had  seen  only  from  a distance. 
Nothing  could  be  more  tasteful  than  the  arrangements. 
The  tables  were  placed  around  a hollow  square,  in  the 
centre  of  which  was  the  American  flag,  with  the  Bra- 
zilian on  either  side  of  it ; while  a number  of  other  flags 
draped  the  room  and  made  the  whole  scene  bright  with 
color.  The  landscape,  framed  in  the  open  green  arches, 
made  so  many  pictures,  pretty  glimpses  of  water  and 
wood,  with  here  and  there  a palm-thatched  roof  among 
the  trees  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  A fresh  breeze 
blew  through  the  open  dining-room,  stirring  the  folds  of 
the  flags,  and  making  a pleasant  rustle  in  the  trees,  which 
added  their  music  to  that  of  the  band  outside.  Since  we 
are  on  the  Amazons,  a thousand  miles  from  its  mouth, 
it  is  worth  while  to  say  a word  of  the  breakfast  itself. 
There  is  such  an  exaggerated  idea  of  the  hardships  and 
difficulty  of  a voyage  on  the  Amazons,  (at  least  so  I infer 
from  many  remarks  made  to  us,  not  only  at  home,  but 
even  in  Rio  de  Janeiro  by  Brazilians  themselves,  when 
we  were  on  the  eve  of  departure  for  this  journey,)  that 
it  will  hardly  be  believed  that  a public  breakfast,  given 
in  Manaos,  should  have  all  the  comforts,  and  almost  all 
the  luxuries,  of  a similar  entertainment  in  any  other  part 


286 


A JOUENEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


of  the  world.  It  is  true,  that  we  had  neither  ices  nor 
champagne,  the  former  being  of  course  difficult  to  obtain 
in  this  climate ; but  these  two  exceptions  were  more  than 
compensated  for  by  the  presence  of  tropical  fruits  not 
to  be  had  elsewhere  at  any  price,  — enormous  Pineapples,’ 
green  and  purple  Abacatys  (alligator  pears),  crimson  Pi- 
tangas,  Attas  (fruta  do  Conde),  Abios,  Sapotis,  Bananas 
of  the  choicest  kinds  and  in  the  greatest  profusion,  and  a 
variety  of  Maracujas  (the  fruit  of  the  passion-flower).* 
The  breakfast  was  gay,  the  toasts  were  numerous,  the 
speeches  animated,  and  long  after  the  Senhoras  had  left  the 
table  the  room  still  echoed  with  Vivas,  as  health  followed 
health.  At  the  close  of  the  dinner  there  was  a little 
scene  which  struck  us  as  very  pretty  ; I do  not  know 
whether  it  is  a custom  here,  but,  as.  it  excited  no  remark, 
I suppose  it  may  be.  When  the  gentlemen  returned  to  the 
house,  bringing  the  music  with  them,  all  the  waiters  assem- 
bled in  line  before  the  door,  decanter  and  glass  in  hand,  to 
finish  the  remains  of  the  wine  with  a toast  on  their  own 
account.  The  head-waiter  then  stood  in  front  of  them 
and  gave  the  health,  first,  of  the  persons  for  whom  the 
banquet  was  given,  followed  by  that  of  the  President, 
all  of  which  were  answered  with  Vivas  as  they  filled  their 
glasses.  Then  one  of  the  gentlemen  stepping  forward  gave, 
amid  shouts  of  laughter,  the  health  of  the  head-waiter 

* As  I do  not  wish  to  mislead,  and  this  narrative  may  perhaps  influence 
some  one  to  make  a journey  in  this  region,  I should  add,  that,  while  the  above 
is  strictly  true,  there  are  many  things  essential  to  the  comfort  of  the  traveller 
not  to  he  had.  There  is  not  a decent  hotel  throughout  the  whole  length  of  the 
Amazons,  and  any  one  who  thinks  of  travelling  there  must  provide  himself 
with  such  letters  as  will  secure  accommodation  in  private  houses.  So  recom- 
mended, he  may  safely  depend  upon  hospitality,  or  upon  such  assistance  from 
individuals  as  will  enable  him  to  find  a private  lodging. 


MANAOS  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD. 


287 


himself,  which  was  drank  in  a closing  bumper  with  per- 
haps more  animation  than  either  of  the  others.  The  af- 
ternoon closed  with  dancing,  and  at  sunset  the  canoes 
assembled  and  we  returned  to  the  city,  all  feeling,  I 
believe,  that  the  festival  had  been  a very  happy  one. 
It  certainly  was  so  for  those  to  whom  it  was  intended  to 
give  pleasure,  and  could  hardly  fail  to  be  likewise  for 
those  who  had  planned  and  executed  it.  It  will  seem 
strange  to  many  of  my  readers  that  Sunday  should  be 
chosen  for  such  a fete  ; but  here,  as  in  many  parts  of 
continental  Europe,  even  in  Protestant  districts,  Sunday  is 
a holiday  and  kept  as  such. 

November  '£lth.  — Yesterday  I visited  the  prison  where 
the  wife  of  the  chief  of  police  had  invited  me  to  see  some 
of  the  carved  articles,  straw  work,  &c.,  made  by  the  prison- 
ers. I had  expected  to  be  pained,  because  I thought,  from 
the  retrograde  character  of  things  in  general  here,  the 
prison  system  would  be  bad.  But  the  climate  in  these 
hot  countries  regulates  the  prison  life  in  some  degree. 
Men  cannot  be  shut  up  in  close,  dark  cells,  without  en- 
dangering not  only  their  own  lives,  but  the  sanitary  con- 
dition of  the  establishment  also.  Therefore  the  prison  is 
light  and  airy,  with  plenty  of  doors  and  windows,  secured 
by  bars,  but  not  otherwise  vclosed.  I infer,  however,  from 
a passage  on  the  prisons  of  the  province,  contained  in  one 
of  the  able  reports  of  President  Adolfo  de  Barros  (1864), 
that  within  the  last  year  there  has  been  a great  improve- 
ment, at  least  in  the  prison  of  Manaos.  He  says  : “ The 
state  of  the  prisons  exceeds  all  that  can  be  said  to  their 
disadvantage.  Not  only  is  it  true  that  there  is  not  to  be 
found  throughout  the  province  a prison  which  fulfils  the 
conditions  imposed  by  the  law,  but  there  is  not  one  which 


288 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


deserves  the  name  of  prison  with  the  exception  of  that  in 
the  capital.  And  even  this  one,  while  it  does  not  possess 
one  of  the  conditions  exacted  by  similar  institutions,  con- 
tains so  disproportionate  a number  of  prisoners  of  all 
classes,  so  indiscriminately  mingled,  that,  setting  aside  the 
other  difficulties  arising  from  this  association,  it  is  only 
by  the  mercy  of  Providence  that  the  jail  has  not  been 
converted  into  a focus  of  epidemics  during  the  great  heat 
prevailing  in  this  city  for  a great  part  of  the  year.  In 
four  small  rooms,  insufficiently  ventilated  and  lighted,  are 
assembled  forty  prisoners  (including  the  sick)  of  various 
classes  and  conditions.  Without  air,  without  cleanliness, 
almost  without  room  to  move  in  their  smothered  and  damp 
enclosure,  these  unhappy  beings,  against  all  precepts  of 
law  and  humanity,  suffer  far  more  than  the  simple  and 
salutary  rigor  of  punishment.”  These  strictures  must 
have  led  to  a great  amendment,  for  the  prison  does  not 
now  appear  to  be  deficient  in  light  or  in  ventilation,  and 
there  is  a hospital  provided  apart  for  the  sick.  Some  of 
the  prisoners,  especially  those  who  were  there  for  political 
offences,  having  been  concerned  in  a recent  revolt  at  Serpa, 
were  very  heavily  ironed  ; but,  excepting  this,  there  were 
no  signs,  visible  at  least  to  the  transient  observer,  of  cruelty 
or  neglect.  After  some  remarks  on  the  best  modes  of  re- 
forming these  -abuses  and  the  means  to  be  employed  for 
that  object,  Dr.  Adolfo  goes  on  to  speak  of  the  ruinous 
condition  of  the  prisons  in  other  cities  of  the  province. 
“ Such  is  the  state  of  the  prison  in  the  town  of  Tefffi 
The  edifice  in  which  it  is  established  is  an  old  and  crum 
bling  house,  belonging  to  the  municipality,  thatched  with 
straw,  and  so  ruinous,  that  it  seemed  to  me,  when  1 
visited  it,  rather  like  a deserted  habitation  than,  like  a 


MANAOS  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD.  • 289 

building  destined  for  the  detention  of  criminals.  There 
were  but  a few  prisoners,  some  of  whom  were  already 
condemned.  I formed  a favorable  judgment  of  them  all, 
for  it  seemed  to  me  they  must  have  either  great  confidence 
in  their  own  innocence,  or  scruples  as  to  compromising  the 
few  soldiers  who  acted  as  guards.  In  no  other  way  could 
I explain  the  fact  that  they  remained  in  prison,  when 
flight  seemed  so  easy.”  I well  remember  one  evening 
when  walking  in  Tefl£  seeing  a number  of  men  leaning 
against  the  wooden  grating  of  a dimly  lighted  room  in 
a ruinous  thatched  house,  and  being  told  that  this  was 
the  prison.  I asked  myself  the  same  question  which  pre- 
sented itself  to  the  President’s  mind,  — why  these  wild- 
looking,  half-naked  creatures  had  not  long  ago  made  their 
escape  from  a prison  whose  bars  and  bolts  would  hardly 
have  imposed  restraint  upon  a child.  The  report  con- 
tinues : “A  more  decent  and,  above  all,  a more  secure 
prison  at  this  point,  the  most  important  in  the  whole 
Solimoens,  is  an  urgent  and  even  indispensable  necessity. 
Of  the  sixteen  prisons  in  the  whole  province,  only  two, 
that  of  the  capital  and  of  Barcellos,  have  their  own  build- 
ings. With  these  exceptions,  the  prisoners  occupy  either 
a part  of  the  houses  of  the  legislative  chambers,  or  are 
placed  in  private  houses  hired  for  the  purpose,  or  in  the 
quarters  of  the  military  detachments.  In'  these  different 
prisons  538  prisoners  were  received  during  the  current 
year,  inclusive  of  recruits  and  deserters.”  This  last 
clause,  “ inclusive  of  recruits  and  deserters,”  and  the 
association  of  the  two  classes  of  men  together,  as  if 
equally  delinquent,  touches  upon  a point  hardly  to  be 
overlooked  by  the  most  superficial  observer,  and  which 
makes  a very  painful  impression  on  strangers.  The  sys- 

13 


8 


290 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


tern  of  recruiting,  or  rather  the  utter  want  of  system, 
leads  to  the  most  terrible  abuse  of  authority  in  raising 
men  for  the  army.  I believe  that  the  law  provides  for  a 
constitutional  draft  levied  equally  on  all  classes,  excluding 
men.  below  or  above  a certain  age,  or  having  certain  respon- 
sibilities at  home.  But  if  such  a law  exists  it  is  certainly 
not  enforced  ; recruiting  parties,  as  bad  as  the  old  “ press- 
gangs”  of  England,  go  out  into  the  forest  and  seize  the 
Indians  wherever  they  can  find  them.  All  who  resist  this 
summary  treatment  or  show  any  .inclination  to  escape  are 
put  into  prison  till  the  steamer  leaves,  by  which  they  are 
despatched  to  Para  and  thence  to  the  army.  The  only 
overcrowded  room  I saw  at  the  prison  was  that  where 
the  recruits  were  confined.  Coming  from  a country  where 
the  soldier  is  honored,  where  men  of  birth  and  education 
have  shown  that  they  are  not  ashamed  to  serve  in  the  ranks 
if  necessary,  it  seemed  to  me  strange  and  sad  to  see  these 
men  herded  with  common  criminals.  The  record  of  the 
province  of  the  Amazonas  will  read  well  in  the  history 
of  the  present  war,  for  the  number  of  troops  contributed 
is  very  large  in  proportion  to  the  population.  But  as 
most  of  them  are  obtained  in  this  way,  it  may  be  doubted 
whether  the  result  is  a very  strong  evidence  of  patriotism. 
The  abuses  mentioned  above  are  not,  however,  confined  to 
these  remote  regions.*  It  is  not  uncommon,  even  in  the 

* Much  of  what  follows  upon  social  abuses,  tyranny  of  the  local  police, 
prison  discipline,  &c.,  though  not  quoted  in  his  own  words,  has  been  gathered 
from  conversations  with  Mr.  Agassiz,  or  from  discussions  between  him  and  his 
Brazilian  friends.  The  way  in  which  this  volume  has  grown  up,  being  as  it 
were  the  result  of  a double  experience,  makes  it  occasionally  difficult  to  draw 
the  exact  line  marking  the  boundaries  of  authorship  ; the  division  being 
indeed  somewhat  vague  in  the  minds  of  the  writers  themselves.  But  since 
criticisms  of  this  so^t  would  have  little  value,  except  as  based  upon  larger 
opportunities  for  observation  than  fell  to  my  share,  I am  the  more  anxious 
them,  wherever  I can,  to  their  right  source. 


MANAOS  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD. 


291 


more  populous  and  central  parts  of  Brazil,  to  meet  recruits 
on  the  road,  so-called  volunteers,  chained  two  and  two  by 
the  neck  like  criminals,  under  an  armed  guard.  When  we 
first  met  a squad  of  men  under  these  circumstances,  on 
the  Juiz  de  Fora  road,  we  supposed  them  to  be  deserters, 
but  the  Brazilians  who  were  with  us,  and  who  seemed 
deeply  mortified  at  the  circumstance,  said  that  they  were 
no  doubt  ordinary  recruits,  arrested  without  inquiry  on  the 
one  side,  or  power  of  resistance  on  the  other.  They  as- 
serted that  this  mode  of  recruiting  was  illegal,  but  that 
their  chains  would  be  taken  off  before  entering  the  city, 
and  no  questions  asked.  A Brazilian  told  me  that  he  had 
known  an  instance  in  which  a personal  pique  against  an 
enemy  had  been  gratified  by  pointing  out  its  object  to  the 
recruiting  officer,  who  had  the  man  at  once  enlisted,  though 
a large  family  was  entirely  dependent  upon  him.  Our 
informant  seemed  to  know  no  redress  for  tyranny  like 
this. 

The  hospitality  we  have  received  in  Brazil,  the  sympathy 
shown  to  Mr.  Agassiz  in  his  scientific  undertakings,  as  well 
as  our  own  sentiments  of  gratitude  and  affection  for  our 
many  friends  here,  forbid  us  to  enter  into  any  criticism  of 
Brazilian  manners  or  habits  which  could  have  a personal 
application.  Neither  do  I believe  that  a few  months’  resi- 
dence in  a country  entitles  any  one  to  a judgment  upon 
the  national  character  of  its  people.  Yet  there  are  certain 
features  of  Brazilian  institutions  and  politics  which  cannot 
but  strike  a stranger  unfavorably,  and  which  explain  the 
complaints  one  constantly  hears  from  foreign  residents- 
The  exceedingly  liberal  constitution,  borrowed  in  great 
part  from  our  own,  prepares  one  to  expect  the  largest 


292 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


censorship  of  the  press  ; there  is  no  constraint  upon  the 
exercise  of  any  man’s  religion  ; nominally,  there  is  abso- 
lute freedom  of  thought  and  belief.  But  in  the  practical 
working  of  the  laws  there  is  a very  arbitrary  element,  and  a 
petty  tyranny  of  the  police  against  which  there  seems  to  be 
no  appeal.  There  is,  in  short,  an  utter  want  of  harmony 
between  the  institutions  and  the  actual  condition  of  the 
people.  May  it  not  be,  that  a borrowed  constitution,  in 
no  way  the  growth  of  the  soil,,  is,  after  all,  like  an  ill- 
fitting  garment,  not  made  for  the  wearer,  and  hanging 
loosely  upon  him  ? There  can  be  no  organic  relation  be- 
tween a truly  liberal  form  of  government  and  a people  for 
whom,  taking  them  as  a whole,  little  or  no  education  is 
provided,  whose  religion  is  administered  by  a corrupt  clergy, 
and  who,  whether  white  or  black,  are  brought  up  under 
the  influence  of  slavery.  Liberty  will  not  abide  in  the 
laws  alone  ; it  must  have  its  life  in  the  desire  of  the 
nation,  its  strength  in  her  resolve  to  have  and  to  hold  it. 
Another  feature  which  makes  a painful  impression  on  the 
stranger  is  the  enfeebled  character  of  the  population.  I 
have  spoken  of  this  before,  but  in  the  northern  provinces 
it  is  more  evident  than  farther  south.  It  is  not  merely 
that  the  children  are  of  every  hue  ; the  variety  of  color 
in  every  society  where  slavery  prevails  tells  the  same  story 
of  amalgamation  of  race  ; but  here  this  mixture  of  races 
seems  to  have  had  a much  more  unfavorable  influence  on 
the  physical  development  than  in  the  United  States.  It 
is  as  if  all  clearness  of  type  had  been  blurred,  and  the  re- 
sult is  a vague  compound  lacking  character  and  expres- 
sion. This  hybrid  class,  although  more  marked  here  be- 
cause the  Indian  element  is  added,  is  very  numerous  in 
all  the  cities  and  on  the  large  plantations ; perhaps  the 


MANAOS  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD. 


293 


fact,  so  honorable  to  Brazil,  that  the  free  negro  has  full 
access  to  all  the  privileges  of  any  free  citizen,  rather  tends 
to  increase  than  diminish  the  number.* 

December  3 d. — Yesterday  was  the  Emperor’s  birthday, 
always  kept  as  a holiday  throughout  Brazil,  and  this  year 
with  more  enthusiasm  than  usual,  because  he  has  just 
returned  from  the  army,  and  has  made  himself  doubly 
dear  to  his  people,  not  only  by  the  success  which  attend- 
ed his  presence  there,  but  by  his  humanity  toward  the 
soldiers.  We  had  our  illuminations,  bouquets,  music,  <fcc., 
as  well  as  the  rest  of  the  world  ; but  as  Manaos  is  not 
overflowing  with  wealth,  the  candles  were  rather  few, 
and  there  were  long  lapses  of  darkness  alternating  with 
the  occasional  brilliancy.  We  went  out  in  the  evening 
to  make  a few  calls,  and  listen  to  the  music  in  the  open 
ground  dignified  by  the  name  of  the  public  square.  Here 
all  the  surrounding  buildings  were  brightly  illuminated  ; 
there  was  a very  pretty  tent  in  the  centre,  where  the  band 
of  Indian  children  from  the  Casa  dos  Educandos  was  play- 
ing ; preparations  were  making  for  the  ascension  of  a 

* Let  any  one  who  doubts  the  evil  of  this  mixture  of  races,  and  is  inclined, 
from  a mistaken  philanthropy,  to  break  down  all  barriers  between  them,  come 
to  Brazil.  He  cannot  deny  the  deterioration  consequent  upon  an  amalgama- 
tion of  races,  more  widespread  here  than  in  any  other  country  in  the  world, 
and  which  is  rapidly  effacing  the  best  qualities  of  the  white  man,  the  negro,  and 
the  Indian,  leaving  a mongrel  nondescript  type,  deficient  in  physical  and  mental 
energy.  At  a time  when  the  new  social  status  of  the  negro  is  a subject  of  vital 
importance  in  our  statesmanship,  we  should  profit  by  the  experience  of  a coun- 
try where,  though  slavery  exists,  there  is  far  more  liberality  toward  the  free 
negro  than  he  has  ever  enjoyed  in  the  United  States.  Let  us  learn  the  double 
lesson  : open  all  the  advantages  of  education  to  the  negro,  and  give  him 
every  chance  of  success  which  culture  gives  to  the  man  who  knows  how  to 
use  it ; but  respect  the  laws  of  nature,  and  let  all  our  dealings  with  the  black 
man  tend  to  preserve,  as  far  as  possible,  the  distinctness  of  his  national  charac* 
teristics,  and  the  integrity  of  our  own.  — L.  A. 


294 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL 


lighted  balloon  at  a later  hour,  and  so  on.  But  whenever 
we  have  been  present  at  public  festivities  in  Brazil,  — and 
our  observation  is  confirmed  by  other  foreigners,  — we  have 
been  struck  with  the  want  of  gayety,  the  absence  of  merri- 
ment. There  is  a kind  of  lack-lustre  character  in  their 
fetes,  so  far  as  any  demonstration  of  enjoyment  is  con- 
cerned. Perhaps  it  is  owing  to  their  enervating  climate, 
but  the  Brazilians  do  not  seem  to  work  or  play  with  a 
will.  They  have  not  the  activity  which,  while  it  makes 
life  a restless  fever  with  our  people,  gives  it  interest  also; 
neither  have  they  the  love  of  amusement  of  the  continental 
Europeans. 

December  -6th.  — Manaos.  Mr.  Thayer  returned  to-day 
from  Lake  Alexo,  bringing  a valuable  collection  of  fish, 
obtained  with  some  difficulty  on  account  of  the  height  of 
water  ; it  is  rapidly  rising  now,  and  the  fish  are  in  conse- 
quence daily  scattered  over  a wider  space.  This  addition 
with  the  collections  brought  in  by  Mr.  Bourget  and  Mr. 
Thayer  from  Cudajas,  by  Mr.  James  from  Manacapuru, 
and  by  Major  Coutinho  from  Lake  Hyanuary,  Jos4-Fer- 
nandez,  Curupira,  &c.,  &c.,  brings  the  number  of  Ama- 
zonian species  up  to  something  over  thirteen  hundred. 
Mr.  Agassiz  still  carries  out  his  plan  of  dispersing  his  work- 
ins:  force  in  such  a manner  as  to  determine  the  limits  of  the 
distribution  of  species  ; to  ascertain,  for  instance,  whether 
those  which  are  in  the  Amazons  at  one  season  may  be  in 
the  Solimoens  at  another  or  at  the  same  time,  and  also 
whether  those  which  are  found  about  Manaos  extend  higher 
up  in  the  Rio  Negro.  For  this  reason,  as  we  have  seen, 
while  at  TefF6  himself  he  kept  parties  above  in  various  locali- 
ties,— at  Tabatinga  and  on  the  rivers  19a  and  Hyutahy  ; 
and  now,  while  he  and  some  of  his  assistants  are  collecting 


MANAOS  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD. 


295 


in  tlie  immediate  neighborhood  of  Manaos,  Mr.  Dexter 
and  Mr.  Talisman  are  on  the  Rio  Negro  and  Rio  Branco. 
Following  the  same  plan  in  descending  the  river,  he  intends 
to  establish  one  station  at  Serpa,  another  at  Obydos,  an- 
other at  Santarem,  while  he  will  go  himself  to  the  river 
Maulies,  which  connects  the  Amazons  with  the  Madeira. 

December  10 th. — To-day  Mr.  Dexter  and  Mr.  Talisman 
returned  from  their  canoe  excursion  to  the  Rio  Branco. 
They  are  rather  disappointed  in  the  result  of  their  expe- 
dition, having  found  the  state  of  the  waters  most  extraordi- 
nary for  the  season  and  very  unfavorable  for  their  purpose. 
The  Rio  Negro  was  so  full  that  the  beaches  had  entirely 
disappeared,  and  it  was  impossible  to  draw  the  nets ; while 
on  the  Rio  Branco  the  people  stated  that  the  water  had 
not  fallen  during  the  whole  year,  — an  unheard-of  phe- 
nomenon, and  unfortunate  for  the  inhabitants,  who  were 
dreading  famine  for  want  of  their  usual  supply  of  dried 
and  salted  fish,  on  which  they  so  largely  depend  for  food. 
This  provision  is  always  made  when  the  waters  are  lowest, 
and  when  the  large  fish,  driven  into  shallower  and  narrower 
basins,  are  easily  caught.  Though  their  collection  of  fish 
is  therefore  small,  including  only  twenty-eight  new  species, 
Mr.  Dexter  .and  Mr.  Talisman  bring  several  monkeys,  a very 
large  alligator,  some  beautiful  birds,  among  them  the  blue 
Mackaw,  and  a number  of  very  fine  palms.  To-morrow  we 
leave  Manaos  in  the  Ibicuhy,  on  an  excursion  to  the  little 
town  of  Mauhes,  where  we  are  to  pass  a week  or  ten  days. 
Though  we  return  for  a day  or  two  on  our  way  to  the  Rio 
Negro,  yet  we  feel  that  our  permanent  stay  in  Manaos  is 
over.  The  six  weeks  we  have  passed  here  have  been  very 
valuable  in  scientific  results.  Not  only  has  Mr.  Agassiz 
largely  increased  his  knowledge  of  the  fishes,  but  he  has  had 


296 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


an  opportunity  of  accumulating  a mass  of  new  and  interest- 
ing information  on  the  many  varieties  of  the  colored  races, 
produced  by  the  crossing  of  Indians,  negroes,  and  whites, 
which  he  has  recorded  not  only  in  notes,  but  in  a very  com- 
plete series  of  photographs.  Perhaps  nowhere  in  the  world 
can  the  blending  of  types  among  men  be  studied  so  fully 
as  in  the  Amazons,  where  mamelucos,  cafuzos,  mulattoes, 
cabocos,  negroes,  and  whites  are  mingled  in  a confusion  that 
seems  at  first  inextricable.  I insert  below  a few  extracts 
from  his  notes  on  this  subject,  which  he  purposes  to  treat 
more  in  detail,  should  he  find  time  hereafter  to  work  up 
the  abundant  material  he  has  collected. 

“ However  naturalists  may  differ  respecting  the  origin  of 
species,  there  is  at  least  one  point  on  which  they  agree, 
namely,  that  the  offspring  from  two  so-called  different 
species  is  a being  intermediate  between  them,  sharing  the 
peculiar  features  of  both  parents,  but  resembling  neither  so 
closely  as  to  be  mistaken  for  a pure  representative  of  the 
one  or  the  other.  I hold  this  fact  to  be  of  the  utmost 
importance  in  estimating  the  value  and  meaning  of  the 
differences  observed  between  the  so-called  human  races. 
I leave  aside  the  question  of  their  probable  origin,  and 
even  that  of  their  number  ; for  my  purpose,  it  does  not 
matter  whether  there  are  three,  four,  five,  or  twenty 
human  races,  and  whether  they  originated  independently 
from  one  another  or  not.  The  fact  that  they  differ  by 
constant  permanent  features  is  in  itself  sufficient  to  justify  a 
comparison  between  the  human  races  and  animal  species. 
We  know  that,  among  animals,  when  two  individuals  of 
different  sex  and  belonging  to  distinct  species  produce  an 
offspring,  the  latter  does  not  closely  resemble  either  parent, 
but  shares  the  characteristics  of  both  ; and  it  seems  to 


MANAOS  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD. 


297 


me  of  the  highest  significance  that  this  fact  is  equally 
true  of  any  two  individuals  of  different  sexes,  belonging 
to  different  human  races.  The  child  born  of  negro  and 
white  parents  is  neither  black  nor  white,  but  a mulatto  ; 
the  child  born  of  white  and  Indian  parents  is  neither 
white  nor  Indian,  but  a mameluco ; the  child  born  of 
negro  and  Indian  parents  is.  neither  a negro  nor  an  In- 
dian, but  a cafuzo ; and  the  cafuzo,  mameluco,  and  mulatto 
share  the  peculiarities  of  both  parents,  just  as  the  mule 
shares  the  characteristics  of  the  horse  and  ass.  With 
reference  to  their  offspring,  the  races  of  men  stand,  then, 
to  one  another  in  the  same  relation  as  different  species 
among  animals  ; and  the  word  races , in  its  present  signi- 
ficance, needs  only  to  be  retained  till  the  number  of  human 
species  is  definitely  ascertained  and  their  true  characteristics 
fully  understood.  I am  satisfied  that,  unless  it  can  be  shown 
that  the  differences  between  the  Indian,  negro,  and  white 
races  are  unstable  and  transient,  it  is  not  in  keeping  with 
the  facts  to  affirm  a community  of  origin  for  all  the  va- 
rieties of  the  human  family,  nor  in  keeping  with  scientific 
principles  to  make  a difference  between  human  races  and 
animal  species  in  a systematic  point  of  view.  In  these 
various  forms  of  humanity  there  is  as  much  system  as  in 
anything  else  in  nature,  and  by  overlooking  the  thoughtful 
combinations  expressed  in  them  we  place  ourselves  at  once 
outside  of  the  focus  from  which  the  whole  may  be  correctly 
seen.  In  consequence  of  their  constancy,  these  differences 
are  so  many  limitations  to  prevent  a complete  melting  of 
normal  types  into  each  other  and  consequent  loss  of  their 
primitive  features.  That  these  different  types  are  geneti- 
cally foreign  to  one  another,  and  do  not  run  together  by 
imperceptible,  intermediate  degrees,  appears  plain  when 

13* 


298 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


tlieir  mixtures  are  compared.  White  and  negro  produce 
mulattoes,  white  and  Indian  produce  mamelucos,  negro  and 
Indian  produce  cafuzos,  and  these  three  kinds  of  half- 
breeds  are  not  connecting  links  between  the  pure  races, 
but  stand  exactly  in  that  relation  to  them  in  which  all 
hybrids  stand  to  their  parents.  The  mameluco  is  as  truly 
a half-breed  between  white  and  Indian,  the  cafuzo  as  truly 
a half-breed  between  negro  and  Indian,  as  is  the  mulatto, 
commonly  so  called,  a half-breed  between  white  and  negro. 
They  all  share  equally  the  peculiarities  of  both  parents, 
and  though  more  fertile  than  half-breeds  in  other  families 
of  the  animal  kingdom,  there  is  in  all  a constant  ten- 
dency to  revert  to  the  primary  types  in  a country  where 
three  distinct  races  are  constantly  commingling,  for  they 
mix  much  more  readily  with  the  original  stocks  than  with 
each  other.*  Children  between  mameluco  and  mameluco, 
or  between  cafuzo  and  cafuzo,  or  between  mulatto  and 
mulatto,  are  seldom  met  with  where  the  pure  races  occur ; 
while  offspring  of  mulattoes  with  whites,  Indians  and  ne- 
groes, or  of  mamelucos  with  whites,  Indians,  and  negroes, 
or  of  cafuzos  with  whites,  Indians,  and  negroes,  form  the 
bulk’  of  these  mixed  populations.  The  natural  result 
of  an  uninterrupted  contact  of  half-breeds  with  one  an- 
other is  a class  of  men  in  which  pure  type  fades  away 
as  completely  as  do  all  the  good  qualities,  physical  and 
moral,  of  the  primitive  races,  engendering  a mongrel 
crowd  as  repulsive  as  the  mongrel  dogs,  which  are  apt 
to  be  their  companions,  and  among  which  it  is  impossible 
to  pick  out  a single  specimen  retaining  the  intelligence,  • 
the  nobility,  or  the  affectionateness  of  nature  which  makes 

* For  some  remarks  concerning  the  structural  peculiarities  of  the  Indians 
and  Negroes,  see  Appendix  No.  V. 


MANAOS  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD. 


299 


the  dog  of  pure  type  the  favorite  companion  of  civilized 
man.  The  question  respecting  the  relation  of  the  human 
I races  to  each  other  is  complicated  by  the  want  of  precision 
in  the  definition  of  species.  Naturalists  differ  greatly  in 
their  estimation  of  the  characters  by  which  species  are  to 
be  distinguished,  and  of  their  natural  limitations.  I have 
published  elsewhere  my  own  views  on  this  subject.  I 
believe  the  boundaries  of  species  to  be  precise  and  un- 
varying, based  upon  a category  of  characters  quite  distinct 
from  those  on  which  the  other  groups  of  the  animal  king- 
dom, as  genera,  families,  orders,  and  classes,  are  founded. 
This  category  of  characters  consists  chiefly  in  the  relation 
of  individuals  to  one  another  and  to  their  surroundings, 
and  in  the  relative  dimensions  and  proportions  of  parts. 
These  characters  are  no  less  permanent  and  constant  in 
the  different  species  of  the  human  family  than  in  those 
of  any  other  family  in  the  animal  kingdom,  and  my  ob- 
servations upon  the  cross-breeds  in  South  America  have 
convinced  me  that  the  varieties  arising  from  contact  be- 
tween these  human  species,  or  so-called  races,  differ  from 
true  species  just  as  cross-breeds  among  animals  differ  from 
true  species,  and  that  ‘they  retain  the  same  liability  to 
revert  to  the  original  stock  as  is  observed  among  all  so- 
called  varieties  or  breeds.” 

Our  visit  to  Mauhes  will  be  the  pleasanter  and  doubtless 
the  more  successful,  because  Dr.  Epaminondas,  who  has 
already  done  so  much  to  facilitate  the  objects  of  the  ex- 
pedition, takes  this  opportunity  of  visiting  a region  with 
which,  as  President  of  the  province,  he  is  desirous  of  be- 
coming acquainted.  He  is  accompanied  by  our  host,  Mr. 
Honorio, . whose  house  has  been  such  a pleasant  home  for 
us  during  our  stay  in  Manaos,  and  also  by  Mr.  Michelis, 


800 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Lieutenant-Colon  el  of  the  National  Guard  of  Mauhes,  re- 
turning to  his  home  there,  after  a stay  of  several  weeks 
in  Manaos.  Besides  these,  our  party  consists  of  Major 
Coutinho,  Mr.  Burkhardt,  and  ourselves.  The  position  of 
Mauhes,  on  the  southern  side  of  the  Amazons,  and  its 
proximity  to  Manaos  and  Serpa,  may  make  this  excursion 
especially  instructive,  with  reference  to  the  study  of  the 
geographical  distribution  of  the  Fishes  in  the  great  net- 
work of  rivers  connecting  the  Bio  Madeira  and  the  Bio 
Tapajoz  with  the  Amazons. 


EXCURSION  TO  MAUHES  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD.  301 


CHAPTER  X. 

EXCURSION  TO  MAUHES  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD. 

Leave  Manaos.  — On  board  the  “ Ibicuhy.”  — Navigation  of  the  River 
Ramos.  — Aspect  of  the  Banks.  — Arrival  at  Mauhes.  — Situation  of 
Mauhes.  — Tupinambaranas.  — Character  of  Population.  — Appear- 
ance of  the  Villages  of  Mauhes.  — Bolivian  Indians.  — GuaranA.  — 
Excursion  to  Mucaja-Tuba. — Mundurucu  Indians.  — Aspect  of  Village. 

— Church.  — Distribution  of  Presents.  — Generosity  of  the  Indians. 

— Their  Indifference.  — Visit  to  another  Settlement.  — Return  to 
Mauhes.  — Arrival  of  Mundurucus  in  the  Village.  — Description  of 
Tattooing.  — Collection.  — Boto.  — Indian  Superstitions.  — Palm  Col- 
lection. — Walk  in  the  Forest. — Leave  Mauhes.  — Mundurucu  Indian 
and  his  Wife.  — Their  Manners  and  Appearance.  — Indian  Tradition. 

— Distinctions  of  Caste. 

December  12 th.  — We  left  Manaos,  according  to  our  in- 
tention, on  Sunday  evening  (the  10th),  raising  the  anchor 
with  military  exactness  at  five  o’clock,  the  very  moment 
appointed,  somewhat  to  the  disappointment  of  a boatful 
of  officials  from  the  National  Guard,  who  were  just  on 
their  way  to  pay  their  parting  compliments  to  the  Presi- 
dent, at  the  hour  fixed  for  his  departure.  In  Brazil  it 
may  safely  be  assumed  that  things  will  always  be  a little 
behind  time  ; on  this  occasion,  however,  our  punctuality 
was  absolute,  and  the  officers  were  forced  to  wave  their 
adieux  as  we  proceeded  on  our  way,  leaving  their  canoe 
behind.  The  hour  was  of  good  omen,— a cool  breeze,  the 
one  blessing  for  which  the  traveller  sighs  in  these  latitudes, 
blowing  up  the  Amazons ; and  as  we  left  the  Bio  Negro, 
it  lay  behind  us,  a golden  pathway  to  the  setting  sun,  which 
was  going  down  in  a blaze  of  glory.  We  were  received  on 
board  with  all  possible  hospitality  by  the  commander,  Cap- 


802 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


tain  Faria.  He  lias  made  every  arrangement  for  onr  com- 
fort which  a vessel  of  war,  not  intended  for  passengers,  can 
afford,  giving  up  his  own  quarters  for  my  accommodation. 
On  deck  he  has  arranged  a little  recess,  sheltered  by  a tar- 
pauling  from  the  sun  and  rain,  to  serve  as  a dining-room, 
that  we  may  take  our  meals  in  the  fresh  air  instead  of 
dining  in  the  close  cabin  below  decks  intended  for  this 
purpose. 

The  morning  following  our  departure  was  an  interesting 
one,  because  we  found  ourselves  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ramos, 
unknown  to  steam  navigation,  and  about  which  the  Captain 
had  some  apprehensions,  as  he  was  by  no  means  sure  that 
he  should  find  water  enough  for  his  vessel.  It  was,  there- 
fore, necessary  to  proceed  with  great  caution,  sounding  at 
every  step  and  sending  out  boats  in  advance,  to  ascertain 
the  direction  of  the  channel.  Once  within  the  river,  we 
had  depth  of  water  enough  to  float  much  larger  vessels. 
The  banks  of  this  stream  are  beautiful.  The  forest  was 
gay  with  color,  and  the  air  laden  with  the  rich  perfume 
of  flowers,  which,  when  we  came  up  the  Amazons  six 
months  ago,  were  not  yet  in  bloom.  We  were  struck  also 
with  the  great  abundance  and  variety  of  the  palms,  so 
much  more  numerous  on  the  lower  course  of  the  Amazons 
than  on  the  Solimoens.  The  shores  were  dotted  with 
thrifty-looking  plantations,  laid  out  with  a neatness  and 
care  which  bespeak  greater  attention  to  agriculture  than  we 
have  seen  elsewhere.  Healthy-looking  cattle  were  grazing 
about  many  of  the  sitios.  As  the  puff  of  our  steam  was 
heard,  the  inhabitants  ran  out  to  gaze  in  amazement  at 
the  unwonted  visitant,  standing  in  groups  on  the  shores, 
almost  too  much  lost  in  wonder  to  return  our  greetings. 
The  advent  of  a steamer  in  their  waters  should  be  to  them 


EXCURSION  TO  MAUHES  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD.  303 


a welcome  harbinger  of  the  time,  perhaps  not  far  distant, 
when,  instead  of  their  present  tedious  and  uncertain  canoe 
journeys  to  Serpa  or  Villa  Bella,  they  will  be  able  to 
transport  their  produce  to  either  of  these  points  in  a 
few  hours,  in  small  steamboats,  connecting  all  these  set- 
tlements, and  adapted  to  the  navigation.  Any  such  pro- 
phetic vision  was,  however,  no  doubt  very  far  from  their 
thoughts  ; if  they  had  any  idea  as  to  the  object  of  our 
coming,  it  was  probably  a fear  lest  we  should  be  on  a 
recruiting  expedition.  If  so,  it  is  certainly  a very  inno- 
cent one,  fishes  being  the  only  recruits  we  aim  at  en- 
trapping. From  the  Ramos  we  turned  into  the  Mauhes, 
ascending  to  the  town  of  the  same  name,  where  to-day 
we  are  enjoying  the  hospitality  of  Mr.  Michelis. 

If  any  of  my  readers  are  as  ignorant  as  I was  myself 
before  making  this  voyage,  a bit  of  geography  may  not 
be  out  of  place  here.  As  everybody  knows,  the  river 
Madeira,  that  great  affluent  of  the  Amazons,  all  whose 
children  are  giants,  except  when  compared  with  their  royal 
father,  enters  the  main  stream  on  its  southern  side  at  a 
point  nearly  opposite  Serpa.  But  this  is  not  its  only  con- 
nection with  the  Amazons.  The  river  Mauhes  starting 
about  twenty-five  leagues  from  its  mouth,  runs  from  the 
river  Madeira  almost  parallel  with  the  Amazons  until  it 
joins  the  river  Ramos,  which  continues  its  course  in  the 
same  direction  to  a lower  point,  where  it  empties  into  the 
main  stream.  The  district  of  land  thus  enclosed  between 
four  rivers,  having  the  Madeira  on  the  west,  the  Amazons 
on  the  north,  and  the  Ramos  and  the  Mauhes  on  the  south, 
is  known  on  the  map  as  the  island  of  Tupinambaranas. 
It  is  a network  of  rivers,  lakes,  and  islands  ; one  of  those 
watery  labyrinths  which  would  be  in  itself  an  extensive 


304 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


river  system  in  any  other  country,  but  is  here  absolutely 
lost  in  the  world  of  waters  of  which  it  forms  a part.  In- 
deed, the  vastness  of  the  Amazons  is  not  felt  chiefly  when 
following  its  main  course,  but  rather  on  its  lesser  tribu- 
taries, where  streams  to  which  a place  on  the  map  is 
hardly  accorded  are  found  to  be  in  fact  large  rivers. 

The  region  of  Maulies  is  comparatively  little  known,  be- 
cause it  is  off  the  line  of  steam  navigation ; but,  thanks 
to  the  efforts  of  its  most  prominent  citizen,  Mr.  Miclielis, 
who  has  made  his  home  there  for  twenty-five  years,  and 
contributed,  by  his  energy,  intelligence,  and  honorable 
character,  to  raise  the  tone  of  the  whole  district,  it  is  one  of 
the  most  prosperous  in  the  province.  It  is  melancholy- to 
see  how  little  is  done  in  other  districts,  when  an  instance 
like  this  shows  what  one  man  can  do  to  improve  the  forest 
population  along  the  banks  of  the  Amazons.  His  example 
and  its  successful  results  should  be  an  encouragement  to  all 
intelligent  settlers  on  the  Amazons.  The  little  village  of 
Maulies  stands  on  a sort  of  terrace,  in  front  of  which,  at 
this  season  when  the  waters  are  still  considerably  below 
high-water  mark,  runs  a broad,  white  beach,  rendered  all 
the  prettier  at  the  moment  of  our  arrival  by  a large  party 
of  Bolivian  Indians,  who  had  built  their  camp-fires  on  its 
sands.  We  looked  at  these  people  with  a kind  of  wonder, 
thinking  of  the  perilous  voyages  they  constantly  make  in 
their  heavily-laden  canoes,  forced  to  unload  their  cargo 
over  and  over  again  as  they  shoot  the  cataracts  of  the 
Madeira  on  their  way  down,  or  drag  their  boats  wearily 
up  them  on  their  return.  It  seems  strange,  when  this 
river  is  the  highway  of  commerce  from  Bolivia,  Matto- 
Grosso,  and  through  Matto-Grosso  from  Paraguay  to  the 
Amazons,  that  the  suggestion  made  by  Major  Coutinho 


MAUHES  RIVER 


EXCURSION  TO  MAUHES  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD.  305 


in  his  interesting  account  of  his  journey  on  the  Rio  Ma- 
deira, has  not  been  adopted.  He  says  that  a road  carried 
along  the  shore  of  the  river  for  a distance  of  forty  leagues 
would  obviate  all  the  difficulty  and  danger  of  this  ardu- 
ous journey. 

Mauhes  is  not  a cluster  of  houses,  but  is  built  in  line 
along  a broad,  grass-grown  street  running  the  length  of 
the  terrace  formed  by  the  top  of  the  river-bank.  In  an 
open  space,  at  one  end  of  this  village  street,  stands  the 
church,  a small  but  neat-looking  building,  with  a wooden 
cross  in  front.  Most  of  the  houses  are  low  and  straw- 
thatched,  but  here  and  there  a more  substantial  house, 
with  tiled  roof,  like  that  of  Mr.  Michelis,  breaks  the 
ordinary  level  of  the  buildings.  Notwithstanding  the  mod- 
est appearance  of  this  little  town,  all  who  know  some- 
thing of  its  history  speak  of  it  as  one  of  the  most  prom- 
ising of  the  Amazonian  settlements,  and  as  having  a 
better  moral  tone  than  usually  prevails.  One  of  its  great 
staples  is  the  Guar  an  a.  This  shrub,  or  rather  vine, — 
for  it  is  a trailing  plant  somewhat  like  our  high-bush 
blackberry,  — is  about  eight  feet  high  when  full  grown, 
and  bears  a bean  the  size  of  a coffee-bean,  two  being  en- 
closed in  each  envelope.  This  bean,  after  being  roasted, 
is  pounded  in  a small  quantity  of  water,  until  it  becomes, 
when  thoroughly  ground,  a compact  paste,  and  when  dry 
is  about  the  color  of  chocolate,  though  much  harder. 
In  this  state  it  is  grated,  (the  grater  being  always  the 
rough  tongue  of  the  Pirarucu,)  and  when  mixed  with 
sugar  and  water  it  makes  a very  pleasant,  refreshing 
drink.  It  is  said  to  have  medicinal  properties  also,  and 
is  administered  with  excellent  effect  in  cases  of  diarrhoea. 
In  certain  parts  of  Brazil  it  is  very  extensively  used  as. 


306 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


well  as  in  Bolivia,  and  will,  no  doubt,  have  a wider  dis- 
tribution when  its  value  is  more  generally  known.  The 
Indians  display  no  little  fancy  in  the  manufacture  of  this 
article,  moulding  the  paste  into  the  shape  of  mounted 
soldiers,  horses,  birds,  serpents,  &c. 

This  morning  I was  attracted  by  voices  in  the  street, 
anc  going  to  the  window  I saw  the  door  of  the  house 
where  the  President  is  lodged  besieged  by  a crowd  of 
Bolivian  Indians.  They  had  brought  some  of  their  robes 
to  sell,  and  it  was  not  long  before  several  of  our  party, 
among  whom  were  ready  purchasers,  made  their  appear- 
ance in  Bolivian  costume.  This  dress  is  invariable ; al- 
ways the  long  robe,  composed  of  two  pieces,  one  hang- 
ing before,  the  other  behind,  belted  around  the  waist  and 
fastened  on  the  shoulders,  with  an  opening  for  the  head  to 
pass  through.  Such  a robe,  with  a broad-brimmed,  coarse 
straw  hat,  constitutes  the  whole  dress  of  these  people. 
Their  ordinary  working  garb  is  made  of  bark ; their  better 
robe,  for  more  festive  occasions,  consists  of  a twilled  cot- 
ton of  their  own  manufacture,  exceedingly  soft  and  fine, 
but  very  close  and  strong.  These  dresses  may  be  more 
or  less  ornamented,  but  are  always  of  the  same  shape. 
The  Bolivian  Indians  seem  to  be  more  industrious  than 
those  of  the  Amazons,  or  else  they  are  under  more  rigor- 
ous discipline. 

December  14 th.  — At  the  settlement  of  Mucaja-Tuba. 
Mucaja  signifies  a particular  kind  of  palm,  very  abun- 
dant here  ; Tuba  means  a place.  Thus  we  are  among  the 
woods  of  Acrocomia.  Yesterday  we  were  to  have  left 
Mauhes  with  the  dawn  on  an  excursion  to  this  place,  but 
at  the  appointed  hour  a flood  of  rain,  such  as  is  seen  only 
in  these  latitudes,  was  pouring  down  in  torrents,  accom- 


EXCURSION  TO  MAUHES  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD.  307 


panied  by  thunder  and  lightning.  The  delay  occasioned  by 
this  interruption,  however,  proved  a good  fortune  in  the  end. 
By  eleven  o’clock  the  storm  was  over,  but  the  sky  contin- 
ued overcast  during  the  rest  of  the  day.  Our  way  lay  up 
the  river  Mauhes,  past  the  .mouths  of  nameless  streams 
and  lakes,  — broad  sheets  of  water,  perfectly  unknown  out 
of  their  immediate  neighborhood.  Night  brought  us  to  our 
destination,  and  at  about  eight  o’clock  we  anchored  before 
this  little  village.  As  we  approached  it  a light  or  two  was 
seen  glimmering  on  the  shore,  and  we  could  not  help  again 
wondering  what  was  the  feeling  of  the  people  who  saw  and 
heard  for  the  first  time  one  of  these  puffing  steam  monsters-. 
This  morning,  with  a boat-load  of  goods  of  all  sorts,  in- 
tended by  the  President  as  presents  for  the  Indians,  we 
put  off  for  the  shore.  Landing  on  the  beach  we  went 
at  once  to  the  house  of  the  chief,  a most  respectable  look- 
ing old  man,  who  stood  at  the  door  to  receive  us.  He 
was  an  old  acquaintance  of  Major  Coutinlio,  having  for- 
merly accompanied  him  on  his  exploration  of  the  Rio 
Madeira.  The  inhabitants  of  this  village  are  Mundurucu 
Indians,  one  of  the  most  intelligent  and  kindly  disposed 
of  the  Amazonian  tribes.  Although  they  are  too  civil- 
ized to  be  considered  as  illustrating  in  any  way  the  wild 
life  of  the  primitive  Indians,  yet,  as  it  is  the  first  time  we 
have  seen  one  of  their  isolated  settlements,  removed  from 
every  civilizing  influence  except  the  occasional  contact  of 
the  white  man,  the  visit  was  especially  interesting  to  us. 
It  is  astonishing  to  see  the  size  and  solidity  of  their  houses, 
with  never  a nail  driven,  the  frame  consisting  of  rough 
trunks  bound  together  by  withes  made  of  long,  elastic  sipos, 
the  cordage  of  the  forest.  Major  Coutinho  tells  us  that 
they  know  very  well  the  use  of  nails  in  building,  and  say . 


808 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


to  one  another  derisively,  when  they  want  another  sipo, 
“ Hand  me  a nail.”  The  ridge-pole  of  this  chief’s  house 
could  not  have  been  less  than  twenty-five  to  thirty-eight  feet 
high,  and  the  room  was  spacious  in  proportion.  Hammocks 
were  hung  in  the  corners,  one  of  which  was  partitioned  off 
by  a low  wall  of  palm-thatch  ; bows  and  arrows,  guns  and 
oars,  hung  on  the  walls  or  were  leaning  against  them,  and 
adjoining  this  central  apartment  was  the  mandioca  kitchen. 
There  were  a number  of  doors  and  windows  in  the  room, 
closed  by  large  palm-mats.  The  house  of  the  chief  stood 
at  the  head  of  a line  of  houses  differing  from  his  only  in 
being  somewhat  smaller  ; they  made  one  side  of  an  open 
square,  on  the  opposite  side  of  which  was  a corresponding 
row  of  buildings.  With  a few  exceptions  these  houses 
were  empty,  for  the  population  gather  only  three  or  four 
times  in  the  course  of  the  year,  at  certain  festival  seasons. 
Generally  they  are  scattered  about  in  their  different  sitios, 
attending  to  their  plantations.  But  at  these  fetes  they 
assemble  to  the  number  of  several  hundred,  all  the  dwell 
ings  are  crowded  with  families,  and  the  square  in  the  centre 
is  cleared  of  grass,  swept  and  garnished  for  their  evening 
dances.  Such  festivities  last  for  ten  days  or,  a fortnight ; 
then  they  all  disperse  to  their  working  life  again.  At 
this  time  there  are  not  more  than  thirty  or  forty  persons 
in  the  village.  The  most  interesting  object  we  saw  was 
their  church,  which  stands  at  the  head  of  the  square, 
and  was  built  entirely  by  the  Indians  themselves.  It  is 
quite  a large  structure,  capable  of  holding  an  assembly 
of  five  or  six  hundred  persons.  The  walls  are  of  mud, 
very  neatly  finished  inside,  and  painted  in  colors  made 
by  the  Indians  from  the  bark,  roots,  and  fruits  of  certain 
trees1.,  and  also  from  a particular  kind  of  clay.  The  front 


EXCURSION  TO  MAUHES  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD.  309 


part  of  the  church  is  wholly  unfurnished,  except  for  the 
rough  wooden  font  standing  just  within  the  door.  But 
the  farther  end  is  partitioned  off  to  make  a neat  chancel, 
within  which  several  steps  lead  up  to  the  altar  and  niche 
above,  where  is  placed  the  rude  image  of  the  Mother  and 
the  Child.  Of  course  the  architecture  and  the  ornaments 
are  of  the  coarsest  description  ; the  painting  consists  only 
of  stripes  or  lines  of  blue,  red,  and  yellow,  with  here  and 
there  an  attempt  at  a star  or  a diamond,  or  a row  of 
scalloping ; but  there  is  something  touching  in  the  idea 
that  these  poor,  uneducated  people  of  the  forest  have 
cared  to  build  themselves  a temple  with  their  own  hands, 
lavishing  upon  it  such  ideas  of  beauty  and  taste  as  they 
have,  and  bringing  at  least  their  best  to  their  . humble 
altar.  None  of  our  city  churches,  on  which  millions  have 
been  expended,  have  power  to  move  one  like  this  church, 
the  loving  work  of  the  worshippers  themselves,  with  its 
mud  walls  so  coarsely  painted,  its  wooden  cross  before  the 
door,  and  little  thatched  belfry  at  one  side.  It  is  sad 
that  these  people,  with  so  much  religious  sensibility,  are 
not  provided  with  any  regular  service.  At  long  intervals 
a priest,  on  his  round  of  visitations,  makes  his  way  to 
them,  but,  except  on  such  rare  occasions,  they  have  no 
one  to  administer  the  rites  of  burial  or  baptism,  or  to 
give  religious  instruction  to  them  or  to  their  children. 
And  yet  their  church  was  faultlessly  clean,  the  mud  floor 
was  strewn  with  fresh  green  leaves,  and  everything  about 
the  building  showed  it  to  be  the  object  of  solicitude  and 
care.  Their  houses  were  very  neat,  and  they  themselves 
were  decently  dressed  in  the  invariable  costume  of  the  civ- 
ilized Indian,  — the  men  in  trousers  and  white  cotton  shirts, 
the  women  in  calico  petticoats,  with  short,  loose  chemises. 


810 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


either  of  cotton  or  calico,  and  their  long,  thick  black  hair 
drawn  up  and  fastened  on  the  top  of  their  head  by  a semi- 
circular comb,  brought  so  far  forward  that  the  edge  is  about 
on  a line  with  the  forehead.  A bunch  of  flowers  is  general- 
ly stuck  under  the  comb  on  one  side.  I have  never  seen 
an  Indian  woman  who  did  not  wear  one  of  these  round 
combs  ; although  of  foreign  manufacture,  they  find  their 
way  to  the  most  isolated  forest  settlements,  brought,  I 
suppose,  by  the  travelling  pedlers,  “ regatao.”  These 
gentry  are  known  everywhere  on  the  banks  of  the  Am- 
azons and  its  tributaries,  and  are  said  to  be  most  un- 
principled in  their  dealings  with  the  Indians,  who  fall 
readily  into  the  traps  set  for  them  by  the  wily  traders. 
In  one  of  the  reports  of  Dr.  Adolfo,  who,  during  his 
short  but  able  administration,  exposed,  and  as  far  as  it 
was  in  his  power  reformed,  abuses  in  the  province  of 
the  Amazonas,  he  says,  after  speaking  of  the  great  need 
of  religious  instruction  in  the  more  remote  settlements  : 
“ To-day  who  goes  to  seek  the  Indian  in  the  depth  of 
his  virgin  forests  along  the  shores  of  these  endless  rivers  ? 
No  one,  if  it  be  not  the  4 regatao,’  less  barbarous  certain- 
ly than  he,  but  much  more  corrupt  ; who  spies  upon  him, 
depraves  and  dishonors  him,  under  the  pretext  of  trading.” 
After  our  visit  to  the  church,  the  whole  population,  men, 
women,  and  children,  accompanied  us  down  to  the  beach 
to  receive  their  presents,  distributed  by  the  President  in 
person  : common  jewelry,  which  they  appreciate  highly, 
calico  dresses,  beads,  scissors,  needles,  and  looking-glasses 
for  the  women  ; knives,  fish-hooks,  hatchets,  and  other 
working  tools  for  the  men  ; and  a variety  of  little  trin- 
kets and  playthings  for  the  children.  But  though  a cor- 
dial, kindlj  people,  they  have  the  impassiveness  of  the 


EXCURSION  TO  MAUHES  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD.  311 


genuine  Indian.  I did  not  see  a change  of  expression  on 
any  face  or  hear  a word  of  acknowledgment  or  pleasure. 
The  only  smile  was  when,  being  tired  with  standing  in  the 
sun,  I sat  down  among  the  women,  and,  as  the  things  were 
passed  rapidly  around  the  circle,  I was  taken  for  one  of 
them,  and  received  a very  gay  gown  for  my  share.  This 
caused  a general  shout  of  laughter,  and  seemed  to  delight 
them  greatly.  We  returned  to  the  steamer  to  breakfast 
at  ten  o’clock,  and  in  the  afternoon  the  whole  village  came 
out  to  satisfy  their  curiosity  about  the  vessel.  They  are 
a generous  people.  I never  go  among  them  without  re- 
ceiving some  little  present,  which  it  would  be  an  insult 
to  refuse.  Such  as  they  have  they  offer  to  the  stranger ; 
it  may  be  a fruit,  or  a few  eggs,  or  a chicken,  a cuia, 
a basket  or  a bunch  of  flowers,  but  their  feelings  would 
be  wounded  were  you  to  go  away  empty-handed.  On 
this  occasion  the  daughter  of  the  chief  brought  me  a 
fine  fat  fowl,  another  woman  gave  me  a basket,  and  an- 
other a fruit  which  resembles  very  much  our  winter 
squash,  and  is  used  in  the  same  way.  I was  glad  to 
have  with  me  some  large  beads  and  a few  little  pictures 
of  saints  with  which  to  acknowledge  their  gifts.  But  I 
believe  they  do  not  think  of  any  return ; it  is  simply  a 
rite  of  hospitality  with  them  to  make  their  guest  a 
present.  They  went  over  the  vessel,  heard  the  cannon 
fired  off,  and,  as  the  captain  took  them  on  a little  ex- 
cursion, they  saw  the  machine  and  the  wheels  in  action ; 
but  they  looked  at  all  with  the  same  calm,  quiet  air  of 
acceptance,  above,  or  perhaps  one  should  rather  say  below, 
any  emotion  of  surprise.  For  is  not  the  readiness  to  re- 
ceive new  impressions,  to  be  surprised,  delighted,  moved, 
one  of  the  great  gifts  of  the  white  race,  as  different  from 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


SliJ 

the  impasgiveness  of  the  Indian  as  their  varying  complexion 
from  the  dark  skin,  which  knows  neither  blush  nor  pallor  ? 
We  could  have  but  little  conversation  with  these  people, 
for,  with  the  exception  of  the  chief  and  one  or  two  men 
who  acted  as  interpreters,  they  spoke  only  the  “ lingua 
geral,”  and  did  not  understand  Portuguese. 

December  1 5th,  — After  the  Indians  had  left  us  yesterday, 
we  proceeded  on  our  way  to  another  settlement,  where  we 
expected  to  find  a considerable  village.  We  arrived  after 
dark,  and  some  of  the  party  went  on  'shore ; but  they  found 
only  a grass-grown  path  and  deserted  houses.  The  whole 
population  was  in  the  forest.  To-day,  however,  two  or 
three  canoesful  of  people  have  come  off  to  the  steamer 
to  greet  the  President  and  receive  their  presents.  Among 
them  was  an  old  woman  who  must  have  come  originally 
from  some  more  primitive  settlement.  The  lower  part 
of  her  face  was  tattooed  in  a bluish-black  tint,  covering 
the  mouth  and  lower  part  of  the  cheeks  to  the  base  of 
the  ears.  Below  this  the  chin  was  tattooed  in  a kind  of 
network,  no  doubt  considered  very  graceful  and  becoming 
in  her  day  and  generation.  A black  line  was  drawn  across 
the  nose,  and  from  the  outer  corner  of  the  eyes  to  the 
ears,  giving  the  effect  of  a pair  of  spectacles.  The  upper 
part  of  the  breast  was  tattooed  in  an  open-work,  headed 
by  two  straight  lines  drawn  around  the  shoulders  as  if 
to  represent  a coarse  lace  finish,  such  as  one  constantly 
sees  around  the  necks  of  their  chemises.  They  left  us  at 
breakfast,  and  we  are  now  on  our  way  back  to  Mauhes, 
after  a most  interesting  excursion. 

December  1 6th.  — Mauhes.  We  arrived  here  yesterday 
at  midday,  and,  as  it  happened,  we  found  in  the  village 
an  Indian  and  his  wife,  who,  as  specimens  of  the  genuine 


EXCURSION  TO  MAUHES  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD.  313 


Mundurucus,  were  more  interesting  than  those  we  had 
visited.  They  came  on  trading  business  from  a distant  set- 
tlement some  twenty  days’  journey  from  Mauhes.  The 


Mundurucu  Indian  (Male).* 


man’s  whole  face  is  tattooed  in  bluish  black,  this  sin- 
gular mask  being  finished  on  the  edge  by  a fine,  open 
pattern,  about  half  an  inch  broad,  running  around  the 

* I did  not  succeed  in  getting  good  likenesses  of  this  Mundurucu  pair.  The 
above  wood-cuts  do  no  justice  to  their  features  and  expression,  though  they 
give  a faithful  record  of  the  peculiar  mode  of  tattooing.  — L.  A. 

14 


314 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


jaws  and  chin.  His  ears  are  pierced  with  very  large 
holes,  from  which,  when  his  costume  is  complete,  pieces 
of  wood  are  suspended,  and  his  whole  body  is  covered 
with  a neat  and  intricate  network  of  tattooing.  At  pres- 
ent, however,  being  in  civilized  regions,  he  is  dressed  in 


Mundurucu  Indian  (Female). 


trousers  and  shirt.  In  the  woman  the  mask  of  tattooing 
covers  only  the  lowest  part  of  the  face,  the  upper  part 
being  free,  with  the  exception  of  the  line  across  the  nose 
and  eyes.  Her  chin  and  neck  are  also  ornamented  like 


EXCURSION  TO  MAUHES  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD.  315 


that  of  the  old  woman  we  saw  yesterday.  They  speak 
no  Portuguese,  and  seem  rather  reluctant  to  answer  the 
questions  of  the  interpreter. 

Mr.  Agassiz  has  been  very  fortunate  in  collecting  in  this 
region.  Although  we  are  at  so  short  a distance  from 
Manaos,  where  he  already  knows  the  fishes  tolerably  well, 
he  finds  a surprising  number  of  new  genera  and  species 
about  Mauhes  and  its  neighborhood.  As  usual,  wherever 
we  go,  everybody  turns  naturalist  in  his  behalf.  Our 
kind  friend,  the  President,  always  ready  to  do  everything 
in  his  power  to  facilitate  his  researches,  has  several  boats 
out,  manned  by  the  best  fishermen  of  the  place,  fishing  for 
him.  The  commander,  while  his  ship  lies  at  anchor,  has 
his  men  employed  in  the  same  way  ; and  Mr.  Miclielis  and 
his  friends  are  also  indefatigable.  Occasionally,'  however, 
in  the  midst  of  his  successes,  he  has  to  bear  disappointments, 
arising  from  the  ignorance  and  superstition  of  the  working 
people.  Ever  since  he  came  to  the  Amazons  he  has  been 
trying  to  obtain  a specimen  of  a peculiar  kind  of  porpoise, 
native  to  these  waters.  It  is,  however,  very  difficult  to 
obtain,  because,  being  useless  for  food,  there  is  nothing  to 
induce  the  Indian  to  overcome  the  difficulty  of  catching  it. 
Mr.  Michelis  has,  however,  impressed  upon  the  fishermen 
the  value  of  the  prize,  and,  yesterday  evening,  just  as  we 
were  rising  from  the  dinner-table,  it  was  announced  that 
one  was  actually  on  its  way  up  from  the  beach.  Followed 
by  the  whole  party  of  sympathizing  friends,  — for  all  had 
caught  the  infection,  — Mr.  Agassiz  hastened  out  to  behold 
♦ his  long-desired  treasure ; and  there  was  his  Boto,  but 
sadly  mutilated,  for  one  Indian  had  cut  off  a piece  of  the 
fin  as  a cure  for  a sick  person,  another  had  taken  out  an 
eye  as  a love-charm,  which,  if  it  could  be  placed  near  the 


316 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


person  of  the  girl  he  loved,  would  win  him  her  fa^vor, 
and  so  on.  Injured  as  it  was,  Mr.  Agassiz  was,  neverthe- 
less, very  glad  to  have  the  specimen ; but  he  locked  it  up 
carefully  for  the  night,  not  knowing  what  other  titbits 
might  be  coveted  by  the  superstitious  inhabitants. 

December  18th.  — In  the  midst  of  the  zoological  work, 
the  collection  of  palms,  which  is  now  becoming  very  con- 
siderable, is  not  forgotten.  This  morning  we  went  into 
the  forest  for  the  purpose  of  gathering  young  palms  to 
compare  with  the  full-grown  ones,  already  cut  down  and 
put  up  for  transportation.  In  these  woods  a thousand  ob- 
jects attract  the  eye,  beside  that  which  you  especially 
seek.  How  many  times  we  stopped  to  wonder  at  some 
lofty  tree  which  was  a world  of  various  vegetation  in 
itself,  parasites  established  in  all  its  nooks  and  corners, 
sipos  hanging  from  its  branches  or  twining  themselves  so 
close  against  the  bark  that  they  often  seem  as  if  sculptured 
on  its  trunk  ; or  paused  to  listen  to  the  quick  rustle  of 
the  wind  in  palm-leaves  fifty  feet  above  our  heads,  not  at 
all  like  the  slow,  gathering  rush  of  the  wind  in  pine-trees 
at  home,  but  like  rapidly  running  water.  Through  the 
narrow  path  an  immense  butterfly,  of  that  vivid  blue 
which  excites  our  wonder  in  collections  of  Brazilian  in- 
sects, came  sailing  towards  us.  He  alighted  in  our  imme- 
diate neighborhood,  folding  all  his  azure  glories  out  of 
sight,  and  looking,  when  still,  like  a great  brown  moth, 
spotted  with  white.  We  crept  softly  nearer,  but  the  first 
leaf  trodden  under  foot  warned  him,  and  he  was  off 
again,  dazzling  us  with  the  beauty  of  his  wonderful  col- 
oring as  he  opened  his  wings  and,  bidding  us  a gay  good- 
by,  vanished  among  the  trees.  The  sailing  motion  of  these 
Morphos,  though  rapid,  contrasts  strikingly  with  the  more 


EXCURSION  TO  MAUHES  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD.  317 


fluttering  flight  of  the  Heliconians.  The  former  give  broad, 
strong  strokes  with  their  wide  wings,  the  latter  beat  the  air 
with  quick,  impatient,  tremulous  movements. 

December  20th.  — This  morning  we  left  Mauhes,  accom- 
panied by  our  Mundurucu  Indian  and  his  wife.  The 
President  takes  them  to  Manaos,  in  the  hope  of  obtain- 
ing their  portraits  to  enlarge  Mr.  Agassiz’s  collection.  I 
am  interested  in  watching  the  deportment  of  these  people, 
which  is  marked  by  a striking  propriety  that  wins  respect. 
They  have  remained  in  the  seat  where  the  Captain  has 
placed  them,  not  moving,  except  to  bring  their  little  bag- 
gage, from  which  the  woman  has  taken  out  her  work  and 
is  now  busy  in  sewing,  while  her  husband  makes  cigarette 
envelopes  from  a bark  used  by  the  Indians  for  this  purpose ; 
— certainly  very  civilized  occupations  for  savages.  As  they 
speak  no  Portuguese,  we  can  only  communicate  with  them 
through  the  interpreter  or  through  Mr.  Coutinlio,  who  has 
considerable  familiarity  with  the  “ lingua  geral.”  They 
seem  more  responsive,  more  ready  to  enter  into  conversa- 
tion now  than  when  we  first  saw  them ; but  the  woman, 
when  addressed,  or  when  anything  is  offered  to  her,  in- 
variably turns  to  her  husband,  as  if  the  decision  of  every- 
thing rested  with  him.  It  might  be  thought  that  the  fan- 
tastic ornaments  of  these  Indians  would  effectually  disguise 
all  pretence  to  beauty  ; but  it  is  not  so  with  this  pair. 
Their  features  are  fine,  the  build  of  the  face  solid  and 
square,  but  not  clumsy,  and  there  is  a passive  dignity  in 
their  bearing  which  makes  itself  felt,  spite  of  their  tattoo- 
ing. I have  never  seen  anything  like  the  calm  in  the  man’s 
face  ; it  is  not  the  stolidity  of  dulness,  for  his  expression  it> 
sagacious  and  observant,  but  a look  of  such  abiding  tran- 
quillity that  you  cannot  imagine  that  it  ever  has  been  or 


318 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


ever  will  be  different.  The  woman’s  face  is  more  mobile  ; 
occasionally  a smile  lights  it  up,  and  her  expression  is  sweet 
and  gentle.  Even  her  painted  spectacles  do  not  destroy  the 
soft,  drooping  look  in  the  eyes,  very  common  among  the 
Indian  women  here,  and,  as  it  would  seem,  characteristic  of 
the  women  in  the  South  American  tribes ; for  Humboldt 
speaks  of  it  in  those  of  the  Spanish  provinces  to  the  north. 

Major  Coutinho  tells  us  that  the  tattooing  has  nothing  to 
do  with  individual  taste,  but  that  the  pattern  is  appointed 
for  both  sexes,  and  is  invariable  throughout  the  tribe.  It 
is  connected  with  their  caste,  the  limits  of  which  are  very 
precise,  and  with  their  religion.  The  tradition  runs  thus, 
childish  and  inconsequent,  like  all  such  primitive  fables. 
The  first  man,  Caro  Sacaibu,  was  also  divine.  Associated 
with  him  was  his  son,  and  an  inferior  being  named  Rairu, 
to  whom,  although  he  was  as  it  were  his  prime  minister 
and  executed  his  commands,  Caro  Sacaibu  was  inimical. 
Among  other  stratagems  he  used  to  get  rid  of  him  was 
the  following.  He  made  a figure  in  imitation  of  a tatu 
(armadillo),  and  buried  it  partly  in  the  earth,  leaving 
only  the  tail  exposed.  He  covered  the  tail  with  a kind 
of  oil,  which  when  touched  adheres  to  the  skin.  He  then 
commanded  Rairu  to  drag  the  half-buried  tatu  out  of  its 
hole  and  bring  it  to  him.  Rairu  seized  it  by  the  tail,  but 
was  of  course  unable  to  withdraw  his  hand,  and  the  tatu, 
suddenly  endowed  with  life  by  the  Supreme  Being,  dived 
into  the  earth,  dragging  Rairu  with  him.  The  story  does 
not  say  how  Rairu  found  his  way  out  of  the  earth  again, 
but,  being  a spirit  of  great  cunning  and  invention,  he 
contrived  to  reach  the  upper  air  once  more.  On  his  re- 
turn, he  informed  Caro  Sacaibu  that  he  had  found  in  the 
earth  a great  many  men  and  women,  and  that  it  would 


EXCURSION  TO  MAUHES  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD.  319 


be  an  excellent  thing  to  get  them  out  to  till  the  soil  and 
make  themselves  useful  above  ground.  This  advice  seems 
to  have  found  favor  in  the  sight  of  Caro  Sacaibu,  who 
forthwith  planted  a seed  in  the  ground.  From  this  seed 
sprang  a cotton-tree,  for  into  this  fantastic  tale  is  thus 
woven  the  origin  of  cotton.  The  tree  throve  and  grew 
apace,  and  from  the  soft  white  contents  of  its  pods  Caro 
Sacaibu  made  a long  thread,  with  one  end  of  which  Rairu 
descended  once  more  into  the  earth  by  the  same  hole 
through  which  he  had  entered  before.  He  collected  the 
people  together,  and  they  were  dragged  up  through  the 
hole  by  means  of  the  thread.  The  first  who  came  out 
were  small  and  ugly,  but  gradually  they  improved  in 
their  personal  appearance,  until  at  last  the  men  began 
to  be  finely  formed  and  handsome,  and  the  women  beauti- 
ful. Unfortunately,  by  this  time  the  thread  was  much 
worn,  and  being  too  weak  to  hold  them,  the  greater 
number  of  handsome  people  fell  back  into  the  hole  and 
were  lost.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  beauty  is  so  rare  a 
gift  in  the  world.  Caro  Sacaibu  now  separated  the  popu- 
lation he  had  thus  drawn  from  the  bowels  of  the  earth, 
dividing  them  into  different  tribes,  marking  them  with 
distinct  colors  and  patterns,  which  they  have  since  re- 
tained, and  appointing  their  various  occupations.  At  the 
end  there  remained  over  a residue,  consisting  of  the  ugli- 
est, smallest,  most  insignificant  representatives  of  the 
human  race  ; to  these  he  said,  drawing  at  the  same 
time  a red  line  over  their  noses,  “ You  are  not  worthy  to 
be  men  and  women,  — go  and  be  animals.”  And  so  they 
were  changed  into  birds,  and  ever  since,  the  Mutums,  with 
their  red  beaks  and  melancholy  wailing  voices,  wander 
through  the  woods 


820 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


The  tattooing  of  the  Mundurucus  is  not  only  connected 
with  this  dim  idea  of  a primitive  creative  command  ; it  is 
also  indicative  of  aristocracy.  A man  who  neglected  this 
distinction  would  not  be  respected  in  his  tribe ; and  so 
strong  is  this  traditional  association,  that,  even  in  civilized 
settlements  where  tattooing  is  no  longer  practised,  an 
instinctive  respect  is  felt  for  this  mark  of  nobility.  A 
Mundurucu  Indian,  tattooed  after  the  ancient  fashion  of 
his  tribe,  arriving  in  a civilized  village,  such  as  the  one 
we  visited,  is  received  with  the  honor  due  to  a person  of 
rank.  “II  faut  souffrir  pour  etre  beau,”  was  never  truer 
than  among  these  savages.  It  requires  not  less  than  ten 
years  to  complete  the  tattooing  of  the  whole  face  and  body ; 
the  operation  being  performed,  however,  only  at  intervals. 
The  color  is  introduced  by  fine  puncturings  over  the  whole 
surface  ; a process  which  is  often  painful,  and  causes  swell- 
ing and  inflammation,  especially  on  such  sensitive  parts  as 
the  eyelids.  The  purity  of  type  among  the  Mundurucus 
is  protected  by  stringent  laws  against  close  intermarriages. 
The  tribe  is  divided  into  certain  orders  or  classes,  more 
or  less  closely  allied ; and  so  far  do  they  carry  their 
respect  for  that  law,  which,  though  recognized  in  the 
civilized  world,  is  so  constantly  sinned  against,  that  mar- 
riage is  forbidden,  not  only  between  members  of  the 
same  family,  but  between  those  of  the  same  order.  A 
Mundurucu  Indian  treats  a woman  of  the  same  order 
with  himself  as  a sister ; any  nearer  relation  between  them 
is  impossible.  Major  Coutinho,  who  has  made  a very  care- 
ful study  of  the  manners  and  habits  of  these  people,  assures 
us  that  there  is  no  law  more  sacred  among  them,  or  more 
rigidly  observed,  than  this  one.  Their  fine  physique,  for 
which  they  are  said  to  be  remarkable,  is  perhaps  owing 


EXCURSION  TO  MAUHES  AND  ITS  NEIGHBORHOOD.  321 


to  this.  They  are  free  from  one  great  source  of  degener- 
ation of  type.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  Major  Coutinho,  who, 
while  making  his  explorations  as  an  engineer  on  the  Ama- 
zonian rivers,  has  also  made  a careful  study  of  the  tribes 
living  along  their  margins,  will  one  day  publish  the  result 
of  his  investigations.  It  is  to  him  we  owe  the  greater 
part  of  the  information  we  have  collected  on  this  subject. 


322 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

RETURN  TO  MANAOS.  — EXCURSION  ON  THE  RIO  NEGRO.  — LEAVE 

MANAOS. 

Christmas  Eye  at  Manaos.  — Ceremonies  of  the  Indians.  — Churches 
on  the  Amazons.  — Leave  Manaos  for  the  Rio  Negro.  — Curious  River 
Formation.  — Aspect  of  the  River.  — Its  Vegetation.  — Scanty  Popu- 
lation. — Village  of  Taua  Peassu.  — Padre  of  the  Village.  — Palms. 
— Village  of  Pedreira.  — Indian  Camp.  — Making  Palm-thatch.  — 
Sickness  and  Want  at  Pedreira.  — Row  in  the  Forest.  — Tropical 
Shower.  — Geology  of  Pedreira.  — Indian  Recruits.  — Collection  of 
Palms.  — Extracts  from  Mr.  Agassiz’s  Notes  on  the  Vegetation,  of 
the  Amazons  and  the  Rio  Negro.  — Return  to  Manaos.  — Desolation 
of  the  Rio  Negro.  — Its  future  Prospects.  — Humboldts  Anticipa- 
tions. — Wild  Flowers.  — Distribution  of  Fishes  in  the  Amazonian 
Waters.  — How  far  due  to  Migration.  — Hydrographic  System.  — 
Alternation  between  the  Rise  and  Fall  of  the  Southern  and  North- 
ern Tributaries. 

December  Z5th.  — Manaos.  The  Indians  have  a pretty 
observance  here  for  Christmas  eve.  At  nightfall,  from  the 
settlements  at  Hyanuary,  two  illuminated  canoes  come 
across  the  river  to  Manaos ; one  bearing  the  figure  of  Our 
Lady,  the  other  of  Saint  Rosalia.  They  look  very  brilliant 
as  they  come  towards  the  shore,  all  the  light  concentrated 
about  the  figures  carried  erect  in  the  prows.  On  landing, 
the  Indians,  many  of  whom  have  come  to  the  city  in 
advance,  form  a procession,  — the  women  dressed  in  white, 
and  with  flowers  in  their  hair,  the  men  carrying  torches 
or  candles ; and  they  follow  the  sacred  images,  which  are 
borne  under  a canopy  in  front  of  the  procession,  to  the 
church,  where  they  are  deposited,  and  remain  during  Christ- 
mas week.  We  entered  with  them,  and  saw  the  kneeling, 
dusky  congregation,  and  the  two  saints,  — one  a wooden, 


RETURN  TO  MANAOS. 


323 


coarsely  painted  image  of  the  Virgin,  the  other  a gayly 
dressed  doll,  — placed  on  a small  altar,  where  was  also  a 
figure  of  the  infant  Jesus,  surrounded  by  flowers.  At  a 
later  hour  the  midnight  mass  was  celebrated ; less  interest- 
ing to  me  than  the  earlier  ceremony,  because  not  so  exclu- 
sively a service  of  the  Indians,  though  they  formed  a large 
part  of  the  congregation  ; and  the  music,  as  usual,  was 
performed  by  the  band  of  Indian  boys  from  the  Casa  dos 
Educandos.  But  there  is  nothing  here  to  make  the  Catholic 
service  impressive  ; the  churches  on  the  Amazons  generally 
are  of  the  most  ordinary  kind,  and  in  a ruinous  condition. 
There  is  a large  unfinished  stone  church  in  Manaos,  stand- 
ing on  the  hill,  and  occupying  a commanding  position, 
which  will  make  it  a conspicuous  object  if  it  is  ever 
completed  ; but  it  has  stood  in  its  present  state  for  years, 
and  seems  likely  to  remain  so  for  an  indefinite  length  of 
time.  It  is  a pity  they  have  not  the  custom  here  of 
dressing  their  churches  with  green  at  Christmas,  because 
they  have  so  singularly  beautiful  and  appropriate  a tree 
for  it  in  the  palms.  The  Pupunha  palm,  for  instance,  so 
architectural  in  its  symmetry,  with  its  columnar-like  stem 
and  its  dark-green  vault  of.  drooping  leaves,  would  be 
admirable  for  this  purpose.  To-morrow  we  leave  Manaos 
in  the  “ Ibicuhy,”  in  order  to  ascend  the  Bio  Negro  as 
far  as  Pedreira,  where  the  first  granitic  formation  is  said  to 
occur. 

December  27th.  — On  board  the  “Ibicuhy.”  There  was 
little  incident  to  mark  our  day  yesterday,  and  yet  ifc  was 
one  full  of  enjoyment.  The  day  itself  was  such  as  rarely 
occurs  in  these  regions  ; indeed,  I should  say  it  is  the  only 
time,  during  the  whole  six  months  we  have  passed  on  the 
Amazons,  when  we  have  had  cool  weather  with  a clear 


324 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


sky.  Cool  weather  here  is  usually  the  result  of  lain. 
As  soon  as  the  sun  shows  his  face  the  heat  is  great.  But 
yesterday  a strong  wind  was  blowing  down  the  Rio  Negro ; 
and  its  usually  black,  still  waters  were  freshened  to  blue, 
and  their  surface  broken  by  white  caps.  It  is  a curious 
fact  in  the  history  of  this  river,  that,  while  tributary  to 
the  Amazons,  it  also  receives  branches  from  it.  A little 
above  its  junction  with,  the  Solimoens,  the  latter  sends  sev- 
eral small  affluents  into  the  Rio  Negro,  the  entrance  to  which 
we  passed  yesterday.  The  contrast  between  their  milky- 
white  waters  and  the  clear,  dark,  amber  tint  of  the  main 
river  makes  them  very  conspicuous.  It  would  seem  that 
this  is  not  a solitary  instance  of  river  formation  in  this 
gigantic  fresh-water  system ; for  Humboldt  says,  speaking 
of  the  double  communication  between  the  Cassiquiare  and 
the  Rio  Negro,  and  the  great  number  of  branches  by  which 
the  Rio  Branco  and  the  Rio  Hyapura  enter  into  the  Rio 
Negro  and  the  Amazons  : “ At  the  confluence  of  the  Hya- 
pura there  is  a much  more  extraordinary  phenomenon. 
Before  this  river  joins  the  Amazons,  the  latter,  which  is  the 
principal  recipient,  sends  off  three  branches,  called  Uara- 
napu,  Manhama,  and  Avateparana,  to  the  Hyapura,  which 
is  but  a tributary  stream.  The  Portuguese  astronomer, 
Ribeiro,  has  proved  this  important  fact.  The  Amazons 
gives  waters  to  the  Hyapura  itself  before  it  receives  that 
tributary  stream.”  So  does  it  also  to  the  Rio  Negro. 

The  physiognomy  of  the  Rio  Negro  is  peculiar,  and  very 
different  from  that  of.  the  Amazons  or  the  Solimoens.  The 
shores  jut  out  in  frequent  promontories,  which,  while  they 
form  deep  bays  between,  narrow  the  river  from  distance 
to  distance,  and,  as  we  advance  towards  them,  look  like 
the  entrances  to  harbors  or  lakes.  Indeed,  we  have  already 


EXCURSION  ON  THE  RIO  NEGRO. 


825 


passed  several  large  lakes  ; but  great  sheets  of  water  so 
abound  here  that  they  are  nameless,  and  hardly  attract 
attention.  The  vegetation  also  is  different  from  that  of 
the  Amazons.  As  yet  we  have  seen  few  palms ; and  the 
forest  is  characterized  by  a great  number  of  trees,  the 
summits  of  which  are  evenly  and  gently  arched,  forming 
flattened  domes.  The  most  remarkable  of  these,  on  ac- 
count of  its  lofty  height  and  spreading  foliage,  is  the 
Sumaumdra,  to  which  I have  alluded  before.  But  this 
umbrella-like  mode  of  growth  is  by  no  means  confined 
to  one  tree,  but,  like  the  buttressed  trunks,  characterizes 
a number  of  Brazilian  trees.  It  is,  however,  more  frequent 
here  than  we  have  seen  it  elsewhere.  The  shores  seem 
very  scantily  inhabited  ; indeed,  during  our  whole  journey 
yesterday,  we  met  but  one  canoe,  which  we  hailed,  in  order 
to  inquire  our  distance  from  the  little  hamlet  of  Taua 
Peassu,  where  we  meant  to  drop  anchor  for  the  night. 
It  was  the  boat  of  an  Indian  family  going  down  the 
river.  We  were  reminded  that  we  were  leaving  inhab- 
ited regions,  for  the  man  who  was  rowing  was  quite 
naked;  his  wife  and  children  peeped  out  from  under  the 
tolda  in  the  stern  of  the  boat.  We  received  from  them 
the  welcome  intelligence  that  we  were  not  far  from  our 
destination,  where  we  accordingly  arrived  soon  after  night- 
fall. At  this  hour  we  could  form  but  little  idea  of  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  place ; yet,  by  the  moonlight,  we  could  see 
that  its  few  houses  (some  eight  or  ten,  perhaps)  stood  on  a 
crescent-shaped  terrace,  formed  by  the  bank  of  a little  bay 
which  puts  in  just  at  this  point.  The  gentlemen  went  on 
shore,  and  brought  back  the  padre  of  the  village  to  tea. 
He  seems  a man  of  a good  deal  of  intelligence,  and  was 
eloquent  upon  the  salubrity  of  the  village,  its  freedom 


326 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


from  mosquitoes,  piums,  and  all  kinds  of  noxious  insects. 
At  first  a life  so  remote  and  isolated  seems  a hard  lot, 
and  one  would  think  only  the  greatest  devotion  could 
induce  a man  to  undertake  it.  But  there  is  hardly  a 
corner  so  remote  in  Brazil  as  not  to  be  reached  by  the 
petty  local  politics  ; and  the  padre  is  said  to  be  a great 
politician,  his  campaign  before  election  among  the  poor 
people  with  whom  his  lot  is  cast  being  as  exciting  to 
him  as  that  of  any  man  who  canvasses  in  a more  dis- 
tinguished arena  ; the  more  satisfactory,  perhaps,  because 
he  has  the  game  very  much  in  his  own  hands.  We  left 
Taua  Peassu  with  the  dawn,  and  are  again  on  our  way 
to  Pedreira.  The  weather  still  continues  most  favorable 
for  travelling, — an  overcast  sky  and  a cool  breeze.  But 
to-day  the  black  river  sleeps  without  a ripple ; and,  as  we 
pass  along,  the  trees  meet  the  water,  and  are  so  perfectly 
reflected  in  it  that  we  can  hardly  distinguish  the  dividing 
line.  I have  said  that  the  forest  is  not  characterized  by 
palms,  and  yet  we  see  many  species  which  we  have  not 
met  before;  among  these  is  the  Jara-assu,  • with  its  tall, 
slender  stem,  and  broom-like  tuft  of  stiff  leaves.  Mr. 
Agassiz  has  just  gone  on  shore  in  the  montaria,  to  cut 
down  some  palms  of  another  kind,  new  to  him.  As  he 
returns,  the  little  boat  seems  to  have  undergone  some 
marvellous  change  ; it  looks  like  a green  raft  floating  on 
the  water,  and  we  can  hardly  see  the  figures  of  the 
rowers  for  the  beautiful  crowns  of  the  palm-trees. 

December  29th.  — Pedreira.  I have  said  little  about 
the  insects  and  reptiles  which  play  so  large  a part  in  most 
Brazilian  travels,  and,  indeed,  I have  had  much  less  annoy- 
ance from  this  source  than  I had  expected.  But  I must 
confess  the  creature  who  greeted  my  waking  sight  this 


EXCURSION  ON  THE  RIO  NEGRO. 


327 


morning  was  not  a pleasant  object  to  contemplate.  It  was 
an  enormous  centipede  close  by  my  side,  nearly  a foot  in 
length,  whose  innumerable  legs  looked  just  ready  for  a 
start,  and  whose  two  horns  or  feelers  were  protruded  with  a 
most  venomous  expression.  These  animals  are  not  only 
hideous  to  look  upon,  but  their  bite  is  very  painful,  though 
not  dangerous.  I crept  softly  away  from  my  sofa  without 
disturbing  my  ugly  neighbor,  who  presently  fell  a victim  to 
science  ; being  very  adroitly  caught  under  a large  tumbler, 
and  consigned  to  a glass  jar  filled  with  alcohol.  Captain 
Faria  says  that  centipedes  are  often  brought  on  board  with 
the  wood,  among  which  they  usually  lie  concealed,  seldom 
making  their  appearance,  unless  disturbed  and  driven  out 
of  their  hiding-place.  To  less  noxious  visitors  of  this  kind 
one  gets  soon  accustomed.  As  I shake  out  my  dress,  I hear 
a cold  flop  on  the  floor,  and  a pretty  little  house-lizard, 
who  has  found  a warm  retreat  in  its  folds,  makes  his 
escape  with  all  celerity.  Cockroaches  swarm  everywhere, 
and  it  would  be  a vigilant  housekeeper  who  could  keep 
her  closets  free  of  them.  Ants  are  the  greatest  nuisance 
of  all,  and  the  bite  of  the  fire-ant  is  really  terrible.  I 
remember  once,  in  Esperanga’s  cottage,  having  hung  some 
towels  to  dry  on  the  cord  of  my  hammock ; I was  about 
to  remove  them,  when  suddenly  my  hand  and  arm 
seemed  plunged  into  fire.  I dropped  the  towels  as  if  they 
had  been  hot  coals,  which  for  the  moment  they  literally 
seemed  to  be,  and  then  I saw  that  my  arm  was  covered 
with  little  brown  ants.  Brushing  them  off  in  all  haste, 
I called  Laudigari,  who  found  an  army  of  them  passing 
over  the  hammock,  and  out  of  the  window,  near  which 
it  hung.  He  said  they  were  on  their  way  somewhere, 
and,  if  left  undisturbed,  would  be  gone  in  an  hour  or 


328 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


two.  And  so  it  proved  to  be.  We  saw  no  more  of 
them.  Major  Coutinho  says  that,  in  certain  Amazonian 
tribes,  the  Indian  bridegroom  is  subjected  to  a singular 
test.  On  the  day  of  his  marriage,  while  the  wedding 
festivities  are  going  on,  his  hand  is  tied  up  in  a paper 
bag  filled  with  fire-ants.  If  he  bears  this  torture  smilingly 
and  unmoved,  he  is  considered  fit  for  the  trials  of  matri- 
mony. 

Yesterday  we  arrived  at  Pedreira,  a little  village  con- 
sisting of  some  fifteen  or  twenty  houses  hemmed  in  by 
forest.  The  place  certainly  deserves  its  name  of  the 
“ place  of  stones,”  for  the  shore  is  fringed  with  rocks 
and  boulders.  We  landed  at  once,  and  Mr.  Coutinho 
and  Mr.  Agassiz  spent  the  morning  in  geologizing  and 
botanizing.  In  the  course  of  our  ramble  we  came  upon 
an  exceedingly  picturesque  Indian  camp.  The  river  is  now 
so  high  that  the  water  runs  far  up  into  the  forest.  In  such 
an  overflowed  wood,  a number  of  Indian  montarias  were 
moored  ; while,  on  a tract  of  dry  land  near  by,  the  Indians 
had  cleared  a little  grove,  cutting  down  the  inner  trees, 
and  leaving  only  the  outer  ones  standing,  so  as  to  make 
a shady,  circular  arbor.  Within  this  arbor  the  hammocks 
were  slung ; while  outside  were  the  kettles  and  water- 
jugs,  and  utensils  of  one  sort  and  another.  In  this  little 
camp  were  several  Indian  families,  who  had  left  their 
mandioca  plantations  in  the  forest,  to  pass  the  Christmas 
festa  in  the  village.  I asked  the  women  what  they  did, 
they  and  their  babies,  of  which  there  were  a goodly  num- 
ber, when  it  rained  ; for  a roof  of  foliage  is  poor  shelter 
in  these  tropical  rains,  descending,  not  in  drops,  but  in 
sheets.  They  laughed,  and,  pointing  to  their  canoes,  said 
they  crept  under  the  tolda,  the  arched  roof  of  palm-thatch 


EXCURSION  ON  THE  RIO  NEGRO. 


329 


which  always  encloses  the  stern  of  an  Indian  montaria, 
and  were  safe.  Even  this,  in  the  open  river,  would  not 
be  a protection;  but,* moored  as  the  boats  are  in  the  midst 
of  a thick  wood,  they  do  not  receive  the  full  force  of  the 
showers.  In  returning  from  our  walk  we  stopped  at  a 
house  where  an  Indian  was  making  palm-thatch  from  the 
leaflets  of  the  Curua  palm.  When  quite  young,  they  are 
packed  closely  around  the  midrib.  The  Indians  turn  them 
down,  leaving  them  attached  to  the  axis  by  a few  fibres 
only,  so  that,  when  the  midrib  is  held  up,  they  hang  from 
it  like  so  many  straw-colored  ribands,  being,  at  that  age, 
of  a very  delicate  color.  With  these  leaves  they  thatch 
their  walls  and  roofs,  setting  the  midrib,  which  is  strong 
and  sometimes  four  or  five  yards  long,  across,  to  serve  as 
a support,  and  binding  down  the  pendent  leaves.  Such  a 
thatch  will  last  for  years,  and  is  an  excellent  protection 
from  rain  as  well  as  sun.  I should  add,  that,  in  other 
parts  of  the  country,  different  kinds  of  palms  are  used  for 
this  purpose. 

On  our  return  to  the  village  we  were  met  by  the  padre, 
who  invited  us  to  rest  at  his  house,  stopping  on  the  way, 
at  our  request,  to  show  us  the  church.  The  condition  of 
a settlement  is  generally  indicated  by  the  state  of  the 
church.  This  one  was  sadly  in  want  of  repairs,  the  mud 
walls  being  pierced  with  more  windows  than  they  were 
originally  intended  to  possess  ; but  the  interior  was  neat, 
and  the  altar  prettier  than  one  would  expect  to  find  in 
so  poor  a place  as  Pedreira  appears  to  be.  Perhaps  the 
church  was  in  better  order  than  usual,  being  indeed  in 
festival  trim.  Christmas  week  was  not  yet  over,  and  the 
baby  Christ  lay  on  his  green  bed  in  a little  arbor  of  leaves 
and  flowers,  evidently  made  expressly  for  the  purpose. 


830 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


The  padre  of  this  little  village,  Father  Samuel,  an  Italian 
priest,  who  has  passed  many  years  of  his  life  among  the 
Indians  of  South  America,  partly  in  Bolivia  and  partly  in 
Brazil,  had  not  so  much  to  say  in  favor  of  the  healthful 
ness  of  his  parish  as  the  padre  whom  we  had  seen  the 
night  before  in  Taua  Peassu.  He  told  us  that  intermit 
tent  fever,  from  which  he  had  suffered  much  himself,  if 
frequent,  and  that  the  people  are  poorly  and  insufficient!) 
fed.  When  they  have  had  no  recent  arrival  from  Manaos 
neither  coffee,  sugar,  tea,  nor  bread  are  to  be  had  in  the 
village.  As  there  is  no  beach  here,  the  fishing  is  done  at 
a distance  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  ; and  when  the 
waters  are  very  high,  fish  are  not  obtained  even  there.  At 
such  times  the  Indians  live  exclusively  on  farinha  d’agua 
and  water.  This  meagre  diet,  though  injurious  to  the  health, 
satisfies  the  cravings  of  hunger  with  those  accustomed  to 
it ; but  the  few  whites  in  this  solitary  place  suffer  severely. 
What  a comment  is  this  scarcity  of  food  on  the  indo- 
lence and  indifference  of  the  population  in  a region  where 
an  immense  variety  of  vegetables  might  be  cultivated  with 
little  labor,  where  the  pasturage  is  excellent  (as  is  attested  by 
the  fine  condition  of  the  few  cows  at  Pedreira),  and  where 
coffee,  cacao,  cotton,  and  sugar  have  a genial  climate  and 
soil,  and  yield  more  copious  crops  than  in  many  countries 
from  which  large  exports  of  these  productions  are  made ! 
And  yet,  in  this  land  of  abundance,  the  people  live  in  dread 
of  actual  want.  The  village  consists,  as  I have  said,  of 
some  fifteen  or  twenty  houses,  all  of  which  are  at  this 
moment  occupied  ; but  Father  Samuel  tells  us  that  we  see 
the  little  place  at  its  flood-tide,  Christmas  week  having 
brought  together  the  inhabitants  of  the  neighborhood. 
They  will  disperse  again,  after  a few  days,  to  their  palm- 


EXCURSION  ON  THE  RIO  NEGRO. 


331 


houses  and  mandioca  plantations  in  the  forest ; and  the 
padre  says  that,  on  many  a Sunday  throughout  the  year, 
his  congregation  consists  only  of  himself  and  the  boys 
who  assist  at  the  service. 

After  we  had  rested  for  half  an  hour  at  the  priest’s 
house,  he  proposed  to  send  us  to  his  little  mandioca  plan- 
tation at  a short  distance  in  the  forest,  where  a partic- 
ular kind  of  palm,  which  Mr.  Agassiz  greatly  coveted,  was 
to  be  obtained.  Such  a proposition  naturally  suggests  a 
walk ; but  in  this  country  of  inundated  surfaces  land 
journeys,  as  will  be  seen,  are  often  made  by  water.  We 
started  in  a montaria,  and,  after  keeping  along  the  river 
for  some  time,  we  turned  into  the  woods  and  began  to 
navigate  the  forest.  The  water  was  still  and  clear  as  glass : 
the  trunks  of  the  trees  stood  up  from  it,  their  branches 
dipped  into  it ; and  as  we  wound  in  and  out  among  them, 
putting  aside  a bough  here  and  there,  or  stooping  to  float 
under  a green  arbor,  the  reflection  of  every  leaf  was  so  per- 
fect that  wood  and  water  seemed  to  melt  into  each  other, 
and  it  was  difficult  to  say  where  the  one  began  and  the 
other  ended.  Silence  and  shade  so  profound  brooded  over 
the  whole  scene  that  the  mere  ripple  of  our  paddles  seemed 
a disturbance.  After  half  an  hour’s  row  we  came  to  dry 
land,  where  we  went  on  shore,  taking  our  boatmen  with 
us ; and  the  wood  soon  resounded  with  the  sound  of  their 
hatchets,  as  the  palms  fell  under  their  blows.  We  returned 
with  a boat-load  of  palms,  besides  a number  of  plants  of 
various  kinds  which  we  had  not  seen  elsewhere.  We 
reached  the  “ Ibicuhy  ” just  in  time  ; for  scarcely  were 
we  well  on  board  and  in  snug  quarters  again,  when  the 
heavens  opened  and  the  floods  came  down.  I am  not 
yet  accustomed  to  the  miraculous  force  and  profusion  of 


332 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


these  torrents  of  water,  and  every  shower  is  a fresh  sur- 
prise. Yet  the  rainy  season  is  no  such  impediment  to 
travelling  and  working  as  we  had  supposed  it  would  be. 
The  rain  is  by  no  means  continuous,  and  there  are  often 
several  days  together  of  clear  weather.  Indeed,  it  no 
more  rains  all  the  time  in  the  rainy  season  here  than 
it  snows  all  the  time  in  the  winter  with  us.  One  word 
of  the  geology.  The  Pedreira  granite,  of  which  we  had 
heard,  proves  to  be  a granitoid  mica-slate,  — a highly 
metamorphic  rock,  indistinctly  stratified,  but  resembling 
granite  in  its  composition.  It  is  in  immediate  contact 
with  the  red  drift  which  rests  above  it. 

This  morning  we  had  a melancholy  proof  of  the  bru- 
tality of  recruiting  here,  of  which  we  have  already  heard 
so  much.  Several  Indians,  who  had  been  kept  in  confine- 
ment in  Pedreira  for  some  days,  waiting  for  an  opportunity 
to  send  them  to  Manaos,  were  brought  out  to  the  ship. 
These  poor  wretches  had  their  feet  passed  through  heavy 
blocks  of  wood,  the  holes  being  just  large  enough  to  fit 
around  the  ankles.  Of  course  they  could  only  move 
with  the  greatest  difficulty ; and  they  were  half  pushed, 
half  dragged  up  the  side  of  the  vessel,  one  of  them  hav- 
ing apparently  such  a fit  of  ague  upon  him  that,  when  he  ' 
was  fairly  landed  on  his  feet,  I could  see  him  shake  from 
my  seat  at  a distance  of  half  the  deck.  These  Indians 
can  speak  no  Portuguese  : they  cannot  understand  why 
they  are  forced  to  go ; they  only  know  that  they  are 
seized  in  the  woods  and  treated  as  if  they  were  the  worst 
criminals ; punished  with  barbarity  for  no  crime,  and  then 
sent  to  fight  for  the  government  which  so  misuses  them. 
To  the  honor  of  our  commander  be  it  said,  that  he  showed 
the  deepest  indignation  at  the  condition  in  which  these 


EXCURSION  ON  THE  RIO  NEGRO. 


333 


men  were  delivered  into  his  hands : he  caused  the  blocks 
of  wood  to , be  sawed  off  their  feet  immediately,  gave 
them  wine  and  food,  and  showed  them  every  kindness. 
He  protested  that  the  whole  proceeding  was  illegal,  and 
contrary  to  the  intentions  of  the  central  authority.  It 
is,  however,  the  way  in  which  the  recruiting  is  accom- 
plished throughout  this  Indian  district ; and  the  defence 
made  by  those  who  justify  it  is,  that  the  Indians,  like  any 
other  citizens,  must  fight  for  the  maintenance  of  the  laws 
which  protect  them ; that  the  government  needs  their  ser- 
vices ; and  that  this  is  the  only  way  to  secure  them,  as 
they  are  very  unwilling  to  go,  and  very  cunning  and 
agile  in  escaping.  Beside  these  three  men,  there  were 
two  others ; one  a volunteer,  and  the  other  from  a better 
class,  the  pilot  of  the  cataract  on  the  Rio  Branco.  A 
man  so  employed  ought,  for  the  sake  of  the  community, 
to  be  exempt  from  military  service,  as  few  persons  under- 
stand the  dangerous  navigation  of  the  river,  where  broken 
by  cascades.  He  will  doubtless  be  sent  back  when  his  case 
is  represented  to  the  President  of  the  province. 

December  31st.  — Again  on  our  way  back  to  Manaos, 
having  made,  on  our  return,  another  short  stay  at  Taua 
Pdassu,  where,  during  the  two  days  of  our  absence,  the 
padre  of  the  village  had  prepared  a large  collection  of 
palms  for  Mr.  Agassiz.  Our  collection  of  palms  is  becom- 
ing quite  numerous ; and  though  they  must  of  course,  in 
the  process  of  drying,  lose  all  their  beauty  of  coloring,  we 
hope  they  may  retain  something  of  the  grace  and  dignity 
of  their  bearing.  But  even  should  this  not  be  the  case, 
they  will  answer  every  purpose  of  study,  as  with  each  one 
specimens  of  its  fruit  and  flowers  are  preserved  in  alcohol. 
A palm  has  just  been  brought  on  board  — the  Bacc&ba,  or 


334 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


wine-palm  (CEnocarpus) — from  which  the  flowers  droop  in 
long  crimson  cords,  with  bright-green  berries  from  dis- 
tance to  distance  along  their  length,  like  an  immense  coral 
tassel,  flecked  here  and  there  with  green,  hanging  from 
the  dark  trunk  of  the  tree.  The  mode  of  flowering  of 
the  cocoa-nut  palm,  which  we  see  everywhere  though 
it  is  not  indigenous  here,  is  very  beautiful.  The  flowers 
burst  from  the  sheath  in  a long  plume  of  soft,  creamy- 
white  blossoms  : such  a plume  is  so  heavy  with  the 
weight  of  pendent  flowers  that  it  can  hardly  be  lifted ; 
and  its  effect  is  very  striking,  hanging  high  up  on  the 
trunk,  just  under  the  green  vault  of  leaves.  I think 
there  is  nothing  among  the  characteristic  features  of  trop- 
ical scenery  of  which  one  forms  less  idea  at  home  than 
of  the  palms.  Their  name  is  legion ; the  variety  of  their 
forms,  of  their  foliage,  fruit,  and  flowers,  is  perfectly  be- 
wildering ; and  yet,  as  a group,  their  character  is  unmis- 
takable. The  following  extracts  are  taken  from  Mr.  Agas- 
siz’s notes  on  palms,  written  during  this  excursion  on  the 
Rio  Negro. 

u The  palms,  as  a natural  group,  stand  out  among  all 
other  plants  with  remarkable  distinctness  and  individuality. 
And  yet  this  common  character,  uniting  them  so  closely  as 
a natural  order,  does  not  prevent  the  most  striking  difference 
between  various  kinds  of  palms.  As  a whole,  no  family  of 
trees  is  more  similar ; generically  and  specifically  none  is 
more  varied,  even  though  other  families  include  a greater 
number  of  species.  Their  differences  seem  to  me  to  be  de- 
termined in  a great  measure  by  the  peculiar  arrangement 
of  their  leaves ; indeed,  palms,  with  their  colossal  leaves, 
few  in  number,  may  be  considered  as  ornamental  diagrams 
of  the  primary  laws  according  to  which  the  leaves  of  all 


EXCURSION  ON  THE  RIO  NEGRO- 


385 


plants  throughout  the  whole  vegetable  kingdom  are  ar- 
ranged ; laws  now  recognized  by  the  most  advanced  botan- 
ists of  the  day,  and  designated  by  them  as  Phyllotaxis.  The 
simplest  arrangement  in  these  mathematics  of  the  vegetable 
world  is  that  of  the  grasses,  in  which  the  leaves  are  placed 
alternately  on  opposite  sides  of  the  stem,  thus  dividing  the 
space  around  it  in  equal  halves.  As  the  stem  of  the  grasses 
elongates,  these  pairs  of  leaves  are  found  scattered  along  its 
length ; and  it  is  only  in  ears  or  spikes  of  some  genera  that 
we  find  them  growing  so  compactly  on  the  axis  as  to  form  a 


Fan  Baccaba  ((Enocarpus  distvchius). 

close  head.  Of  this  law  of  growth  the  palm  known  as  the 
Bacc&ba  of  Par&  ((Enocarpus  distychius)  is  an  admirable 


336 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


illustration ; its  leaves  being  disposed  in  pairs  one  above 
another  at  the  summit  of  the  stem,  but  in  such  immediate 
contact  as  to  form  a thick  crown.  On  account  of  this  dis- 
position of  the  leaves,  its  appearance  is  totally  different  from 
that  of  any  other  palm  with  which  I am  acquainted.  I do 
not  know  any  palm  in  which  the  leaves  are  arranged  in 
three  directions  only,  as  in  the  reeds  and  sedges  of  our 
marshes,  unless  it  be  the  Jacitara  (Desmonchus),  whose 
winding  slender  stem,  however,  makes  the  observation  un- 
certain. An  arrangement  in  five  different  directions  is 
common  in  all  those  palms  which,  when  young,  have  only 
a cluster  of  five  fully  developed  leaves  above  the  ground, 
with  a spade-like  sixth  leaf  rising  from  the  centre.  When 
full  grown,  they  usually  exhibit  a crown  of  ten  or  fifteen 
leaves  and  more,  divided  into  tiers  of  five,  one  above  the  other, 
but  so  close  together  that  the  whole  appears  like  a rounded 
head.  Sometimes,  however,  the  crown  is  more  open,  as  in 
the  Maximiliana  regia  (Inaja),  for  instance,  in  which  the 
stem  is  not  very  high,  and  the  leaves,  always  in  cycles  of 
five,  spread  slightly,  so  as  to  form  an  open  vase  rising  from  a 
slender  stem.  The  Assai  (Euterpe  edulis)  has  an  eight- 
leaved arrangement,  and  has  never  more  than  a single  cycle 
of  leaves,  though  it  may  sometimes  have  seven  leaves  when 
the  first  of  the  old  cycle  has  dropped,  before  the  ninth,  with 
which  the  new  cycle  begins,  has  opened ; or  nine,  if  the  first 
leaf  of  the  new  cycle  (the  ninth  in  number)  has  opened, 
before  the  first  of  the  old  cycle  has  dropped.  These  leaves, 
of  a delicate,  pale  green,  are  cut  into  a thousand  leaflets, 
which  tremble  in  the  lightest  breeze,  and  tell  you  that  the 
air  is  stirring  even  when  the  heat  seems  breathless.  A more 
elegant  and  attractive  diagram  of  the  Phyllotaxis  of  f prob- 
ably does  not  exist  in  nature.  The  common  Cocoa-nut  tree 


EXCURSION  ON  THE  RIO  NEGRO. 


337 


lias  its  leaves  arranged  according  to  the  fraction  of  ^3  ; but, 
though  the  crown  consists  of  several  cycles  of  leaves,  they 
do  not  form  a close  head,  because  the  older  ones  become 
pendent,  while  the  younger  are  more  erect.  The  Pupunha, 
or  peach  palm  (Guilielma),  follows  the  Phyllotaxis  of  ; 
but  in  this  instance  all  the  leaves  are  evenly  arched  over, 
so  that  the  whole  forms  a deep-green  vault,  the  more  beau- 
tiful from  the  rich  color  of  the  foliage.  When  the  heavy 
cluster  of  ripe,  red  fruit  hangs  under  this  dark  vault,  the 
tree  is  in  its  greatest  beauty.  As  the  leaves  of  this  palm 
are  not  so  closely  set  in  the  younger  specimens  as  in  the 
older  ones,  its  aspect  changes  at  different  stages  of  growth ; 
the  leaves  in  the  younger  trees  being  distributed  over  a 
greater  length  of  the  trunk,  while,  in  the  adult  taller  ones, 
they  are  more  compact.  This  arrangement  is  repeated  in 
the  Javari  and  Tucuma  (Astrocaryum)  ; but  in  these  the 
closely-set  leaves  stand  erect,  broom-like,  at  the  head  of  the 
long  stalk.  In  the  Mucaja  (Acrocomia)  the  leaves  are  ar- 
ranged according  to  the  fraction  Jf.  Thus,  under  the 
same  fundamental  principle  of  growth,  an  infinite  variety  is 
introduced,  among  trees  of  one  order,  by  the  slight  dif- 
ferences in  the  distribution  and  constitution  of  the  leaves 
themselves.  In  the  Musaceae,  or  Scytaminese,  the  Bananas, 
another  order  of  the  same  class  of  plants,  a diversity  equally 
remarkable  is  produced  in  the  same  way,  namely,  by  slight 
modifications  of  this  fundamental  law.  What  can  differ 
more  in  appearance  than  the  common  Banana  (Musa  par- 
adisiaca),  with  its  large  simple  leaves,  so  loosely  arranged 
around  the  stem,  so  graceful  and  easy  in  their  movements, 
and  the  Banana  of  Madagascar  (Ravenala  madagascariensis), 
commonly  known  as  the  Traveller’s  tree,  which,  like  the 
Bacc&ba  of  Para,  has  its  leaves  alternating  regularly  on  op- 
15 


Y 


838 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


posite  sides  of  tlie  trunk,  and  so  closely  packed  together  as 
to  form  an  immense  flat  fan  on  a colossal  stem  ? Yet,  in  all 
these  plants  the  arrangement  of  leaves  obeys  the  same  law, 
which  is  illustrated  with  equal  distinctness  by  each  one. 
This  mathematical  disposition  of  leaves  is  thus  shown  to  bo 
compatible  with  a great  variety  of  essentially  different  struc- 
tures ; and  though  the  law  of  Phyllotaxis  prevails  in  all 
plants,  being  limited  neither  to  class,  orders,  families,  genera, 
nor  species,  but  running  in  various  combinations  through 
the  whole  kingdom,  I believe  it  can  be  studied  to  especial 
advantage  in  the  group  of  palms,  on  account  of  the  promi- 
nence of  their  few  large  leaves.  The  most  abundant  and 
characteristic  palms  of  the  Rio  Negro  are  the  Javari  (Astro- 
caryum  Javari),  the  Muru-Muru  (Astrocaryum  Murumuru), 
the  Uauassu  (Attalea  speciosa),  the  Inaja  (Maximiliana  re- 
gia), the  Baccaba  ((Enocarpus  Baccaba),  the  Paxiuba  (Iri- 
artea  exorhiza),  the  Parana  (Mauritia  Carana),  the  Caranai 
(Mauritia  liorrida),  the  Ubim  (Geonoma),  and  the  Curua 
(Attalea  spectabilis) ; of  these  the  two  latter  are  the  most 
useful.  The  remarkable  Piassaba  (Leopoldinia  Piassaba) 
occurs  only  far  above  the  junction  of  the  Rio  Negro  and  Rio  ! 
Branco.  We  obtained,  however,  a specimen  that  had  been 
planted  at  Itatiassu.  The  many  small  kinds  of  Ubim  (Geo- 
noma), and  Maraja  (Bactris),  and  even  the  Jara  (Leopol- 
dinia), are  so  completely  overshadowed  by  the  larger  trees 
that  they  are  only  noticed  where  clustered  along  the  river- 
banks.  Bussus  (Manicaria),  Assais  (Euterpe)  Mucaja 
(Acrocomia),  grow  also  on  the  Rio  Negro,  but  it  remains 
to  be  ascertained  whether  they  are  specifically  identical  with 
those  of  the  Lower  Amazons.  So  peculiar  is  the  aspect  of 
the  different  species  of  palms  that,  from  the  deck  of  the 
steamer,  they  can  be  singled  out  as  easily  as  the  live-oaks 


EXCURSION  ON  THE  RIO  NEGRO. 


839 


or  peccan-nut  trees,  so  readily  distinguished  on  the  lower 
course  of  the  Mississippi,  or  the  different  kinds  of  oaks, 
birches,  beeches,  or  walnut-trees  which  attract  observation 
when  sailing  along  the  shores  of  our  Northern  lakes.  It 
seems,  however,  impossible  to  discriminate  between  all  the 
trees  of  this  wonderful  Amazonian  forest ; partly  because 
they  grow  in  such  heterogeneous  associations.  In  the 
temperate  zone  we  have  oak-forests,  pine-forests,  birch, 
beech,  and  maple  woods,  the  same  kinds  of  trees  con- 
gregating together  on  one  soil.  Not  so  here  ; there  is 
the  most  extraordinary  diversity  in  the  combination  of 
plants,  and  it  is  a very  rare  thing  to  see  the  soil  occu- 
pied for  any  extent  by  the  same  kind  of  tree.  A large 
number  of  the  trees  forming  these  forests  are  still  unknown 
to  science,  and  yet  the  Indians,  those  practical  botanists 
and  zoologists,  are  well  acquainted,  not  only  with  their 
external  appearance,  but  also  with  their  various  properties. 
So  intimate  is  their  practical  knowledge  of  the  natural  ob- 
jects about  them,  that  I believe  it  would  greatly  contribute 
to  the  progress  of  science  if  a systematic  record  .were  made 
of  all  the  information  thus  scattered  through  the  land  ; an 
encyclopaedia  of  the  woods,  as  it  were,  taken  down  from 
the  tribes  which  inhabit  them.  I think  it  would  be  no  bad 
way  of  collecting,  to  go  from  settlement  to  settlement,  send- 
ing the  Indians  out  to  gather  all  the  plants  they  know,  to 
dry  and  label  them  with  the  names  applied  to  them  in  the 
locality,  and  writing  out,  under  the  heads  of  these  names, 
all  that  may  thus  be  ascertained  of  their  medicinal  and 
otherwise  useful  properties,  as  well  as  their  botanical  char- 
acter. A critical  examination  of  these  collections  would  at 
once  correct  the  information  thus  obtained,  especially  if  the 
person  intrusted  with  the  care  of  gathering  these  materials 


340 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


had  so  much  knowledge  of  botany  as  would  enable  him  to 
complete  the  collections  brought  in  by  tlie  Indians,  adding 
to  them  such  parts  as  might  be  wanted  for  a complete  sys- 
tematic description.  The  specimens  ought  not  to  be  chosen, 
however,  as  they  have  hitherto  been,  solely  with  reference  to 
those  parts  which  are  absolutely  necessary  to  identify  the 
species  ; the  collections,  to  be  complete,  ought  to  include  the 
wood,  the  bark,  the  roots,  and  the  soft  fruits  in  alcohol.  The 
abundance  and  variety  of  timber  in  the  Amazonian  Yalley 
strikes  us  with  amazement.  We  long  to  hear  the  saw-mill 
busy  in  these  forests,  where  there  are  several  hundred  kinds 
of  woods,  admirably  suited  for  construction  as  well  as  for  the 
finest  cabinet-work  ; remarkable  for  the  beauty  of  their  grain, 
for  their  hardness,  for  the  variety  of  their  tints  and  their 
veining,  and  for  their  durability.  And  yet  so  ignorant  are 
the  inhabitants  of  the  value  of  timber  that,  when  they  want 
a plank,  they  cut  down  a tree,  and  chop  it  to  the  desired 
thickness  with  a hatchet.  There  are  many  other  vegetable 
products,  besides  those  already  exported  from  the  Amazons, 
which  will  one  day  be  poured  into  the  market  from  its  fer- 
tile shores.  The  clearest  and  purest  oils  are  made  from 
some  of  the  nuts  and  palm  fruits,  while  many  of  the  palms 
yield  the  most  admirable  fibrous  material  for  cordage,  singu- 
larly elastic  and  resistant.  Besides  its  material  products,  — 
and  of  these  the  greater  part  rot  on  the  ground  for  want 
of  hands  to  gather  them,  — the  climate  and  soil  are  favora- 
ble for  the  growth  of  sugar,  coffee,  cocoa,  and  cotton  ; and 
I may  add,  that  the  spices  of  the  East  might  be  cultivated  in 
the  valley  of  the  Amazons  as  well  as  in  the  Dutch  posses- 
sions of  Asia.” 

Sunday , 31st.  — Manaos.  We  had  wished  exceedingly 
to  extend  our  excursion  on  the  Rio  Negro  to  the  mouth 


EXCURSION  ON  THE  RIO  NEGRO. 


341 


cf  the  Rio  Branco,  but  our  pilot  would  not  undertake 
to  conduct  the  “ Ibicuhy  ” beyond  Pedreira,  as  he  said 
the  stones  in  the  bed  of  the  river  were  numerous  and 
large  and  the  channel  at  this  season  not  very  deep.  We 
were,  therefore,  obliged  to  return  without  accomplishing 
the  whole  object  of  this  voyage  ; but  though  short,  it 
was  nevertheless  most  interesting,  and  has  left  with  us 
a vivid  impression  of  the  peculiar  character  of  this  great 
stream.  Beautiful  as  are  the  endless  forests,  however,  we 
could  not  but  long,  when  skirting  them  day  after  day 
without  seeing  a house  or  meeting  a canoe,  for  the  sight 
of  tilled  soil,  for  pasture-lands,  for  open  ground,  for  wheat- 
fields  and  haystacks,  — for  any  sign,  in  short,  of  the  presence 
of  man.  As  we  sat  at  night  in  the  stern  of  the  vessel, 
looking  up  this  vast  river,  stretching  many  hundred  leagues, 
with  its  solitary,  uninhabited  shores  and  impenetrable  for- 
ests, it  was  difficult  to  resist  an  oppressive  sense  of  loneli- 
ness. Though  here  and  there  an  Indian  settlement  or  a 
Brazilian  village  breaks  the  distance,  yet  the  population  is 
a mere  handful  in  such  a territory.  I suppose  the  time 
will  come  when  the  world  will  claim  it,  when  this  river, 
where,  in  a six  days’  journey,  we  have  passed  but  two 
or  three  canoes,  will  have  its  steamers  and  vessels  of  all 
sorts  going  up  and  down,  and  its  banks  will  be  busy 
with  life ; but  the  day  is  not  yet.  When  I remember  the 
poor  people  I have  seen  in  the  watch-making  and  lace- 
making  villages  of  Switzerland,  hardly  lifting  their  eyes 
off  their  work  from  break  of  day  till  night,  and  even 
then  earning  barely  enough  to  keep  them  above  actual  want, 
and  think  how  easily  everything  grows  here,  on  land  to  be 
had  for  almost  nothing,  it  seems  a pity  that  some  parts  of 
the  world  should  be  so  overstocked  that  there  is  not  nouv- 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


U2 

ishment  for  all,  and  others  so  empty  that  there  are  none  to 
gather  the  harvest.  We  long  to  see  a vigorous  emigra- 
tion pour  into  this  region  so  favored  by  Nature,  so  bare  of 
inhabitants.  But  things  go  slowly  in  these  latitudes ; 
great  cities  do  not  spring  up  in  half  a century,  as  with  us. 
Humboldt,  in  his  account  of  his  South-American  journey, 
writes  : “ Since  my  departure  from  the  banks  of  the  Orinoco 
and  the  Amazon,  a new  era  has  unfolded  itself  in  the  social 
state  of  the  nations  of  the  West.  The  fury  of  civil  dis- 
sensions has  been  succeeded  by  the  blessings  of  peace,  and 
a freer  development  of  the  arts  of  industry.  The  bifurca- 
tions of  the  Orinoco,  the  isthmus  of  Tuamini,  so  easy  to 
be  made  passable  by  an  artificial  canal,  will  erelong'  fix 
the  attention  of  commercial  Europe.  The  Cassiquiare,  as 
broad  as  the  Rhine,  and  the  course  of  which  is  one  hundred 
and  eighty  miles  in  length,  will  no  longer  form  uselessly  a 
navigable  canal  between  two  basins  of  rivers  which  have 
a surface  of  one  hundred  and  ninety  thousand  square 
leagues.  The  grain  of  New  Granada  will  be  carried  to 
the  banks  of  the  Rio  Negro ; boats  will  descend  from  the 
sources  of  the  Napo  and  the  Ucuyale,  from  the  Andes  of 
Quito  and  of  Upper  Peru,  to  the  mouths  of  the  Orinoco, — 
a distance  which  equals  that  from  Timbuctoo  to  Marseilles.” 
Such  were  the  anticipations  of  Humboldt  more  than  sixty 
years  ago  ; and  at  this  day  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Negro 
and  the  Cassiquiare  are  still  as  luxuriant  and  as  desolate, 
as  fertile  and  as  uninhabited,  as  they  were  then. 

January  8 th.  — Manaos.  The  necessity  for  some  days  of 
rest,  after  so  many  months  of  unintermitted  work,  has 
detained  Mr.  Agassiz  here  for  a week.  It  has  given  us 
an  opportunity  of  renewing  our  walks  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Manaos,  of  completing  our  collection  of  plants, 


LEAVE  MANAOS. 


343 


and  also  of  refreshing  our  memory  of  scenes  which  we  shall 
probably  never  see  again,  and  among  which  we  have  had 
a pleasant  home  for  nearly  three  months.  The  woods  are 
much  more  full  of  flowers  than  they  were  when  I first 
became  acquainted  with  their  many  pleasant  paths.  Pas- 
sion-flowers are  especially  abundant.  There  is  one  kind 
which  has  a delicious  perfume,  not  unlike  Cape  Jessamine. 
It  hides  itself  away  in  the  shade,  but  its  fragrance  betrays 
it ; and  if  you  put  aside  the  branches  of  the  trees,  you  are 
sure  to  find  its  large  white-and-purple  flowers,  and  dark, 
thick-leaved  vine,  climbing  up  some  neighboring  trunk. 
Another,  which  seems  rather  to  court  than  avoid  observa- 
tion, is  of  a bright  red ; and  its  crimson  stars  are  often 
seen  set,  as  it  were,  in  the  thick  foliage  of  the  forest. 
But,  much  as  I enjoy  the  verdure  here,  I.  appreciate,  more 
than  ever  before,  the  marked  passage  of  the  seasons  in  our 
Northern  hemisphere.  In  this  unchanging,  green  world, 
which  never  alters  from  century  to  century,  except  by  a 
little  more  or  less  moisture,  a little  more  or  less  heat,  I 
think  with  the  deepest  gratitude  of  winter  and  spring, 
summer  and  autumn.  The  circle  of  nature  seems  incom- 
plete, and  even  the  rigors  of  our  climate  are  remembered 
with  affection  in  this  continual  vapor-bath.  It  is  literally 
true  that  you  cannot  move  ten  steps  without  being  drenched 
in  perspiration.  However,  this  character  of  the  heat  pre- 
vents it  from  being  scorching;  and  we  have  no  reason  to 
change  our  first  impression,  that,  on  the  whole,  the  climate 
is  much  less  oppressive  than  we  expected  to  find  it,  and  the 
nights  are  invariably  cool. 

At  the  end  of  this  week  we  resume  our  voyage  on  board 
the  “ Ibicuhy,”  going  slowly  down  to  Pard,  stopping  at  several 
points  on  the  way.  Our  first  station  will  be  at  Villa  Bel- 


844 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


la,  where  Mr.  Agassiz  wishes  to  make  another  collection  of 
fishes.  It  may  seem  strange  that,  after  having  obtained, 
nearly  five  months  ago,  very  large  collections  from  the  Ama- 
zons itself  at  this  point,  as  well  as  from  the  lakes  in  the 
neighborhood,  he  should  return  to  the  same  locality,  instead 
of  choosing  another  region  for  investigation.  Were  his 
object  merely  or  mainly  to  become  acquainted  with  the  end- 
less diversity  of  fishes  he  now  knows  to  exist  in  this  im- 
mense fresh-water  basin,  such  a repetition  of  specimens  from 
the  same  locality  would  certainly  be  superfluous,  since  it  is 
probable  that  a different  point  would  be  more  prolific  in  new 
species.  The  mere  accumulation  of  species  is,  however, 
entirely  subordinate  to  the  object  which  he  has  kept  in  view 
ever  since  he  began  his  present  researches,  namely,  that  of 
ascertaining  by  direct  observation  the  geographical  range  of 
the  fishes,  and  determining  whether  their  migrations  are  so 
frequent  and  extensive  as  they  are  said  to  be.  I make  an 
extract  from  Mr.  Agassiz’s  notes  on  this  subject. 

“ I have  been  frequently  told  here  that  the  fishes  were 
very  nomadic,  the  same  place  being  occupied  at  different 
seasons  of  the  year  by  different  species.  My  own  investiga- 
tions have  led  me  to  believe  that  these  reports  are  founded 
on  imperfect  observations,  and  that  the  localization  of  species 
is  more  distinct  and  permanent  in  these  waters  than  has  been 
supposed  ; their  migrations  being,  indeed,  very  limited,  con- 
sisting chiefly  in  rovings  from  shallower  to  deeper  waters, 
and  from  these  to  shoals  again,  at  those  seasons  when  the 
range  of  the  shore  in  the  same  water-basin  is  affected  by 
the  rise  and  fall  of  the  river ; — that  is  to  say,  the  fishes 
found  at  the  bottom  of  a lake  covering  perhaps  a square 
mile  in  extent,  when  the  waters  are  lowest,  will  appear  near 
the  shores  of  the  same  lake  when,  at  the  season  of  high 


LEAVE  MANAOS. 


345 


waters,  it  extends  over  a much  wider  area.  In  the  same 
way,  fishes  which  gather  near  the  mouth  of  a rivulet,  at 
the  time  of  low  waters,  will  be  found  as  high  as  its  origin 
at  the  period  of  high  waters  ; while  fishes  which  inhabit 
the  larger  igarapes  on  the  sides  of  the  Amazons  when  they 
are  swollen  by  the  rise  of  the  river,  may  be  found  in  the 
Amazons  itself  when  the  stream  is  low.  There  is  not  a 
single  fish  known  to  ascend  from  the  sea  to  the  higher 
courses  of  the  Amazons  at  certain  seasons,  and  to  return 
regularly  to  the  ocean.  There  is  no  fish  here  corresponding 
to  the  salmon,  for  instance,  which  ascends  the  streams  of 
Europe  and  North  America  to  deposit  its  spawn  in  the  cool 
head-waters  of  the  larger  rivers,  and  then  returns  to  the  sea. 
The  wanderings  of  the  Amazonian  fishes  are  rather  a result 
of  the  alternate  widening  and  contracting  of  their  range 
by  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  waters,  than  of  a migratory 
habit ; and  may  be  compared  to  the  movements  of  those 
oceanic  fishes  which,  at  certain  seasons,  seek  the  shoals 
near  the  shore,  while  they  spend  the  rest  of  the  year  in 
deeper  waters. 

“ Take  our  shad  as  an  example.  It  is  caught  on  the  coast 
of  Georgia  in  February,  on  the  Carolina  shores  a little 
later ; in  March  it  may  be  found  in  Washington  and  Balti- 
more, next  in  Philadelphia  and  New  York ; and  it  does  not 
make  its  appearance  in  the  Boston  market  (except  when 
brought  from  farther  south)  before  the  latter  part  of  April, 
or  the  beginning  of  May.  This  sequence  has  led  to  the 
belief  that  the  shad  migrates  from  Georgia  to  New  England. 
An  examination  of  the  condition  of  these  fishes,  during  the 
months  when  they  are  sold  in  our  markets^  shows  at  once 
that  this  cannot  be  the  case.  They  are  always  full  of  roe, 
and,  being  valued  for  the  table  at  this  period,  they  are 

15  * 


346 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


brought  to  market  at  each  locality  until  the  spawning  season 
is  over.  Now,  as  they  cannot  breed  twice  within  a few  weeks, 
it  is  evident  that  the  shad  which  make  their  appearance  suc- 
cessively along  the  Atlantic  coast  from  February  to  May  are 
not  the  same.  It  is  the  spring  which  migrates  northward, 
calling  up  the  shoals  of  shad  from  the  deeper  sea,  as  it 
touches  in  succession  different  points  along  the  shore. 
Such  movements,  if  thus  connected  with  the  advancing 
spring  along  a whole  coast,  appear  to  be  migrations  from 
south  to  north,  when  they  are,  in  fact,  only  the  successive 
rising  of  the  same  species  from  deeper  to  shallower  waters 
at  the  breeding  season.  In  the  same  way  it  is  probable  that 
the  inequality  in  the  seasons  of  rise  and  fall,  between  the 
different  tributaries  of  the  Amazons  and  the  various  parts 
of  its  own  course,  may  give  a sequence  to  the  appearance  of 
the  fish  in  certain  localities,  which  seems  like  migration  with- 
out being  so,  in  fact. 

“Keeping  in  view  all  the  information  I could  obtain  upon 
this  subject,  I have  attempted,  wherever  it  was  possible  to 
do  so,  to  make  collections  simultaneously  at  different  points 
of  the  Amazons  : thus,  while  I was  collecting  at  Villa  Bella 
six  months  ago,  some  of  my  assistants  were  engaged  in  the 
same  way  at  Santarem,  and  higher  up  on  the  Tapajoz ; while 
I was  working  at  Teffe,  parties  were  busy-in  the  Hyavary,  the 
Iga,  and  the  Hyutahy  ; and  during  my  last  stay  at  Manaos, 
parties  have  been  collecting  at  Cudajas  and  at  Manacaparu, 
and  higher  up  on  the  Rio  Negro,  as  well  as  at  some  lower 
points  on  the  main  river.  At  some  of  these  stations  I have 
been  able  to  repeat  my  investigations  at  different  seasons, 
though  the  intervals  between  the  earlier  and  later  collections 
made  at  the  same  localities  have,  of  course,  not  been  the 
same.  Between  the  first  collections  made  at  Teffe  and  the 


LEAVE  MANAOS. 


347 


last,  hardly  two  months  intervened,  while  those  made  on 
our  first  arrival  at  Manaos  in  September  up  to  the  present 
time  cover  an  interval  of  four  months  ; from  the  first  to 
the  last  at  Yilla  Bella  more  than  five  months  will  have 
elapsed.  On  this  account  I attach  great  importance  to  the 
renewal  of  my  investigations  at  that  place,  as  well  as  to 
the  later  collections  from  Obydos,  Santarem,  Monte  Alegre, 
Porto  do  Moz,  Gurupa,  Tajapuru,  and*  Par L As  far  as 
these  comparisons  have  gone,  they  show  that  the  distinct 
faunae  of  the  above-named  localities  are  not  the  result  of 
migrations ; for  not  only  have  different  fishes  been  found 
in  all  these  basins  at  the  same  time,  but  at  different  times 
the  same  fishes  have  been  found  to  recur  in  the  same  basins, 
whenever  the  fishing  was  carried  on,  not  merely  in  favored 
localities,  but  as  far  as  possible  over  the  whole  area  indis- 
criminately, in  deep  and  shoal  waters.  Should  it  prove  that 
at  Par&,  as  well  as  at  the  intervening  stations,  after  an  in- 
terval of  six  months,  the  fishes  are  throughout  the  same  as 
when  we  ascended  the  river,  the  evidence  against  the  sup- 
posed extensive  migrations  of  the  Amazonian  fishes  will 
certainly  be  very  strong.  The  striking  limitation  of  species 
within  definite  areas  does  not,  however,  exclude  the  presence 
of  certain  kinds  of  fish  simultaneously  throughout  the  whole 
Amazonian  basin.  The  Pirarucu,  for  instance,  is  found 
everywhere  from  Peru  to  Par& ; and  so  are  a few  other 
species  more  or  less  extensively  distributed  over  what  may 
be  considered  distinct  ichthyological  faunae.  But  these  wide- 
spread species  are  not  migratory ; they  have  normally  and 
permanently  a wide  range,  just  as  some  terrestrial  animals 
have  an  almost  cosmopolite  character,  while  others  are  cir- 
cumscribed within  comparatively  narrow  limits.  • Though 
most  quadrupeds  of  the  United  States,  for  instance,  differ 


348 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


from  those  of  Mexico  and  Brazil,  constituting  several  dis- 
tinct faunae,  there  is  one,  the  puma  or  red  lion,  the  panther 
of  the  North,  which  is  found  on  the  east  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains and  the  Andes,  from  Patagonia  to  Canada. 

“ The  movement  of  the  waters,  which  affects  so  powerfully 
the  distribution  of  the  fishes,  forms  in  itself  a very  curious 
phenomenon.  There  is,  as  it  were,  a rhythmical  correspond- 
ence in  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  affluents  on  either  shore  of 
the  Amazons,  causing  the  great  body  of  the  water,  in  its 
semiannual  tides,  to  sway  alternately  more  to  the  north  or 
to  the  south.  On  the  southern  side  of  the  valley,  the  rains 
begin  in  the  months  of  September  and  October.  They  pour 
down  from  the  table-lands  of  Brazil  and  the  mountains  of 
Bolivia  with  cumulative  force,  gathering  strength  as  the 
rainy  season  progresses,  swelling  the  head-waters  of  the 
Purus,  Madeira,  Tapajoz,  and  other  southern  tributaries, 
and  gradually  descending  to  the  main  stream.  The  process 
is  a slow  one,  however,  and  the  full  force  of  the  new  flood 
is  not  felt  in  the  Amazons  until  February  and  March.  Dur- 
ing the  month  of  March,  in  the  region  below  the  confluence 
of  the  Madeira,  for  instance,  the  rise  of  the  Amazons  aver- 
ages a foot  in  twenty-four  hours,  so  great  is  the  quantity  of 
water  poured  into  it.  At  about  the  same  period  with  the 
southern  rains,  or  a little  earlier,  say  in  the  months  of  Au- 
gust and  September,  the  snows  in  the  Andes  begin  to  melt 
and  flow  down  towards  the  plain.  This  contribution  from 
the  Cordilleras  of  Peru  and  Equador,  coinciding  with  that 
from  the  highlands  of  Brazil  and  Bolivia,  swells  the  Ama- 
zons in  its  centre  and  on  its  southern  side  to  such  an  extent 
that  the  bulk  of  the  water  pushes  northward,  crowding  upon 
its  northern  shore,  and  flowing  even  into  the  tributaries 
which  open  on  that  side  of  the  river,  and  are  now  at  their 


LEAVE  MANAOS. 


349 


lowest  ebb.  Presently,  however,  the  rains  on  the  table-lands 
of  Guiana,  and  on  the  northern  spurs  of  the  Andes,  where 
the  rainy  season  prevails  chiefly  in  February  and  March, 
repeat  the  same  process  in  their  turn.  During  April  and 
May  the  northern  tributaries  are  rising,  and  they  reach 
their  maximum  in  June.  Thus,  at  the  end  of  June,  when 
the  southern  rivers  have  already  fallen  considerably,  the 
northern  rivers  are  at  their  flood-tide.  The  Rio  Negro,  for 
instance,  rises  at  Manaos  to  about  forty-five  feet  above  its 
lowest  level.  This  mass  of  water  from  the  north  now  presses 
against  that  in  the  centre,  and  bears  it  southward  again. 
The  rainy  season  along  the  course  of  the  Amazons  is  from 
December  till  March,  corresponding  very  nearly,  in  the  time 
of  the  year  and  in  duration,  with  our  winter.  It  must  be 
remembered  that  the  valley  of  the  Amazons  is  not  a valley 
in  the  ordinary  sense,  bordered  by  walls  or  banks  enclosing 
the  waters  which  flow  between.  It  is,  on  the  contrary,  a 
plain  some  seven  or  eight  hundred  miles  wide  and  between 
two  and  three  thousand  miles  long,  with  a slope  so  slight 
that  it  hardly  averages  more  than  a foot  in  ten  miles.  Be- 
tween Obydos  and  the  sea-shore,  a distance  of  about  eight 
hundred  miles,  the  fall  is  only  forty-five  feet ; between  Taba- 
tinga  and  the  sea-shore,  a distance  of  more  than  two  thou- 
sand miles  in  a straight  line,  the  fall  is  about  two  hundred 
feet.  The  impression  to  the  eye  is,  therefore,  that  of  an 
absolute  plain ; and  the  flow  of  the  water  is  so  gentle  that, 
in  many  parts  of  the  river,  it  is  hardly  perceptible.  Never- 
theless, it  has  a steady  movement  eastward,  descending  the 
gentle  slope  of  this  wide  plain,  from  the  Andes  to  the  sea  ; 
this  movement,  aided  by  the  interflow  from  the  south  and 
north  at  opposite  seasons,  presses  the  bulk  of  the  water  to 
its  northernmost  reach  during  our  winter  months,  and  to 


350 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


its  southernmost  limit  during  our  summer  months.  In  con- 
sequence of  this,  the  bottom  of  the  valley  is  constantly  shift- 
ing, and  there  is  a tendency  to  form  channels  from  the  main 
river  to  its  tributaries,  such  as  we  have  seen  to  exist  be- 
tween the  Solimoens  and  the  Rio  Negro,  — such  as  Hum- 
boldt mentions  between  the  Hyapura  and  the  Amazons.  In- 
deed, all  these  rivers  are  bound  together  by  an  extraordi- 
nary network  of  channels,  forming  a succession  of  natural 
highways  which  will  always  make  artificial  roads,  to  a great 
degree,  unnecessary.  Whenever  the  country  is  settled,  it 
will  be  possible  to  pass  from  the  Purus,  for  instance,  to  the 
Madeira,  from  the  Madeira  to  the  Tapajoz,  from  the  Tapajoz 
to  the  Xingu,  and  thence  to  the  Tocantins,  without  entering 
the  course  of  the  main  river.  The  Indians  call  these  passes 
4 furo ,’  literally,  a bore, — -a  passage  pierced  from  one  river 
to  another.  Hereafter,  when  the  interests  of  commerce 
claim  this  fertile,  overflowed  region,  these  channels  will  be 
of  immense  advantage  for  intercommunication.” 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


351 


CHAPTER  XII. 

DESCENDING  THE  RIVER  TO  PARA.  — EXCURSIONS  ON  THE  COAST. 

Farewell  Visit  to  the  Great  Cascade  at  Manaos.  — Change  in  its  Aspect. 

— Arrival  at  Villa  Bella.  — Return  to  the  House  of  the  Fisherman 
Maia.  — Excursion  to  the  Lago  Maximo.  — Quantity  of  Game  and 
Waterfowl.  — Victoria  regia.  — Leave  Villa  Bella.  — Arrive  at  Oby- 
dos.  — Its  Situation  and  Geology.  — Santarem.  — Visit  to  the  Church. 

— Anecdote  of  Martius.  — A Row  overland.  — Monte  Alegre.  — Pic- 
turesque Scenery.  — ‘‘  Banheiras.”  — Excursion  into  the  Country. — 
Leave  Monte  Alegre.  — Anecdote  of  Indians.  — Almeyrim.  — New 
Geological  Facts.  — Porto  do  Moz.  — Collections.  — Gurupa.  — Taja- 
puriL  — Arrive  at  Para.  — Religious  Procession.  — Excursion  to  Ma- 
rajo.  — Soures.  — Jesuit  Missions.  — Geology  of  Marajo.  — Buried  For- 
est. — Vigia.  — Igarape.  — Vegetation  and  Animal  Life.  — Geology.  — 
Return  to  Para.  — Photographing  Plants.  — Extract  from  Mr.  Agas- 
siz’s Notes  on  the  Vegetation  of  the  Amazons.  — Prevalence  of 
Leprosy. 

January  1 hth.  — t To-day  finds  us  on  our  way  down  the 
Amazons  in  the  “ Ibicuhy.”  The  day  before  leaving  Manaos 
we  paid  a last  visit  to  the  great  cascade,  bathed  once  more 
in  its  cool,  delicious  waters,  and  breakfasted  by  the  side 
of  the  fall.  Before  many  weeks  are  over,  the  cascade  will 
have  disappeared  ; it  will  be  drowned  out,  as  it  were,  for 
the  igarap6  is  filling  rapidly  with  the  rise  of  the  river, 
and  will  soon  reach  the  level  of  the  sandstone  shelf  over 
which  the  water  is  precipitated.  Already  the  appearance 
of  the  spot  is  greatly  changed  since  we  were  there  before. 
The  banks  are  overflowed  ; the  rocks  and  logs  which  stood 
out  from  the  water  are  wholly  covered  ; and  where  there 
was  only  a brawling  stream,  so  shallow  that  it  hardly 
afforded  depth  for  the  smallest  canoe,  there  is  now  a not 
insignificant  river.  Indeed,  everywhere  we  see  signs  of 


352 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


the  changes  wrought  by  the  “ enchente.”  The  very  tex- 
ture of  the  Amazons  is  changed  ; it  is  thicker  apd  yellower 
than  when  we  ascended  it,  and  much  more  laden  with 
floating  wood,  detached  grasses,  and  debris  of  all  sorts 
washed  from  the  shore.  Wild-flowers  are  also  more  abun- 
dant than  they  were  when  we  came  up  the  river  in  Septem- 
ber ; not  delicate,  small  plants,  growing  low  among  moss 
and  grass,  as  do  our  violets,  anemones,  and  the  like  ; but 
large  blossoms,  covering  tall  trees,  and  resembling  exotics 
at  home,  by  their  rich  color  and  powerful  odor.  Indeed, 
the  flowers  of  the  Amazonian  forests  always  remind  me 
of  hot-house  plants  : and  there  often  comes  a warm  breath 
from  the  depths  of  the  woods,  laden  with  moisture  arid 
perfume,  like  the  air  from  the  open  door  of  a conservatory. 

January  Ylth.  — We  reached  Villa  Bella  at  eight  o’clock 
yesterday  morning,  but  waited  there  only  a few  hours  to 
make  certain  necessary  arrangements,  and  then  kept  on 
to  the  mouth  of  the  river  Ramos*  an  hour’s  sail  from  the 
town,  — the  same  river  which  we  had  ascended  from  its 
upper  point  of  juncture  with  the  Amazons,  on  our  ex- 
cursion to  Mauhes.  We  anchored  at  a short  distance 
from  the  entrance,  before  the  house  of  our  old  acquaint- 
ances, the  Maias,  where,  it  may  be  remembered,  we  passed 
a few  days  when  collecting  in  this  neighborhood  before. 
Fortunately,  Maia  himself  was  in  Manaos  when  we  left, 
employed  as  a soldier  in  the  National  Guard ; and  the 
President  kindly  gave  him  leave  to  accompany  us,  that 
Mr.  Agassiz  might  have  the  advantage  of  his  familiarity 
with  the  locality,  and  his  experience  in  fishing.  The  man 
himself  was  pleased  to  have  an  opportunity  of  visiting  his 
family,  to  whom  his  coming  was  an  agreeable  surprise.  Wo 
went  on  shore  this  morning  to  make  them  a visit,  taking 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


353 


with  us  some  little  souvenirs,  such  as  beads,  trinkets, 
knives,  &c.  We  were  received  as  old  friends,  and  made 
welcome  to  all  the  house  would  afford  ; but,  though  as 
clean  as  ever,  it  looked  poorer  than  on  our  former  visit. 
I saw  neither  dried  fish  nor  mandioca  nor  farinha,  and 
the  woman  told  me  that  she  found  it  very  hard  to  sup- 
port her  large  family,  now  that  the  husband  and  father 
was  away. 

The  quantity  of  detached  grass,  shrubs,  &c.  carried 
past  the  vessel,  as  we  lie  here  at  anchor,  is  amazing, — 
floating  gardens,  sometimes  half  an  acre  in  extent.  Some 
of  these  green  rafts  are  inhabited  ; water-birds  go  sailing 
by  upon  them,  and  large  animals  are  occasionally  carried 
down  the  river  in  this  way.  The  commander  told  me  that, 
on  one  occasion,  when  an  English  vessel  was  lying  at 
anchor  in  the  Parana,  one  of  these  grassy  gardens  was 
seen  coming  down  the  river  with  two  deer  upon  it.  The 
current  brought  it  directly  against  the  ship,  and  the  captain 
had  only  to  receive  on  board  the  guests  who  arrived  thus 
unexpectedly  to  demand  liis  hospitality.  In  the  same  river 
another  floating  island  brought  with  it  a less  agreeable 
inhabitant : a large  tiger  had  possessed  himself  of  it  and 
was  sailing  majestically  with  the  current,  passing  so  near 
the  shores  that  he  was  distinctly  seen  from  the  banks ; 
and  people  went  out  in  montarias  to  get  a nearer  view 
of  him,  though  keeping  always  at  a respectful  distance. 
The  most  conspicuous  of  the  plants  thus  detached  from 
the  shore  are  the  Canarana  (a  kind  of  wild  cane),  a variety 
of  aquatic  Aroides,  Pistia  among  the  number,  Ecornia, 
and  a quantity  of  graceful  floating  Marsileacesc. 

January  18 th.  — To-day  we  have  been  on  a hunt  after 
the  Victoria  regia.  We  have  made  constant  efforts  to 


354 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


see  this  famous  lily  growing  in  its  native  waters  ; hut, 
though  frequently  told  that  it  was  plenty  at  certain  sea- 
sons in  the  lakes  and  igarap^s,  we  have  never  been  able 
to  find  it.  Yesterday  some  of  the  officers  of  the  ship, 
who  had  been  on  an  excursion  to  a neighboring  lake, 
returned  laden  with  botanical  treasures  of  all  sorts,  and, 
among  other  plants,  an  immense  lily-leaf,  which,  from  its 
dimensions,  we  judged  must  be  the  Victoria  regia,  though 
it  had  not  the  erect  edge  so  characteristic  of  it.  This 
morning,  accompanied  by  two  or  three  of  yesterday’s 
party,  who  kindly  undertook  to  be  our  guides,  we  went 
to  visit  the  same  lake.  A short  walk  from  the  river- 
bank  brought  us  to  the  shore  of  a large  sheet  of  water, 
— the  Lago  Maximo,  — which  connects  with  the  Ramos 
by  a narrow  outlet,  but  at  a point  so  distant  from  our 
anchorage  that  it  would  have  been  necessary  to  make 
a great  detour  in  order  to  reach  it  in  a canoe.  We 
found  an  old  montaria,  with  one  or  two  broken  paddles,  j 
left,  as  it  seemed,  at  the  lake-shore  for  whom  it  might 
concern,  and  in  that  we  embarked  at  once.  The  banks 
of  this  lake  are  bordered  with  beautiful  forests,  which  do  ■ 
not,  however,  rise  immediately  from  the  water,  but  are 
divided  from  it  by  a broad  band  of  grass.  We  saw  many 
water-birds  on  this  grassy  edge,  as  well  as  on  several 
dead  trees,  the  branches  of  which  were  completely  cov- , 
ered  with  gulls,  all  in  exactly  the  same  attitude,  facing 
one  way,  to  meet  the  wind  which  blew  strongly  against 
them.  Ducks  and  ciganas  were  plenty  ; and  once  or 
twice  we  startled  up  from  the  woods  small  flocks  of 
mackaws,  — not  only  the  gaudy  red,  green,  and  yellow 
species,  but  the  far  more  beautiful  blue  mackaw.  They 
flew  by  us,  with  their  gorgeous  plumage  glittering  in  the 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


855 


sun,  and  disappeared  again  among  the  trees,  seeking  deeper 
and  more  undisturbed  retreats.  From  the  reedy  grasses 
came  also  the  deep  note,  of  th'e  unicorn,  so  greatly  prized 
in  Brazil,  — a large  bird,  half  wader,  half  fowl,  belong- 
ing to  the  genus  Palamedea ; but  as  we  were  only  pre- 
pared for  a botanizing  expedition,  we  could  not  avail 
ourselves  of  any  of  the  opportunities  thus  offered  ; and 
the  birds,  however  near  and  tempting  the  shots,  had 
little  to  fear  from  us.  At  the  upper  end  of  the  lake  we 
came  upon  the  bed  of  water-lilies  from  which  the  trophies 
of  yesterday  had  been  gathered.  The  leaves  were  very 
large,  many  of  them  from  four  to  five  feet  in  diameter ; 
but,  perhaps  from  having  lost  their  first  freshness  and 
something  therefore  of  their  natural  texture,  the  edge 
of  the  leaf  was  scarcely  perceptibly  raised,  and  in  most 
instances  lay  perfectly  flat  upon  the  water.  We  found 
buds,  but  no  perfect  flower.  In  the  afternoon,  however, 
one  of  the  daughters  of  our  fisherman  Maia,  hearing  that 
we  wished  to  see  one  of  the  flowers,  brought  us  a very 
perfect  specimen  from  another  more  distant  locality,  which 
we  had  not  time  to  visit.  The  Indians,  by  the  way,  have 
a characteristic  name  for  the  leaf.  They  call  it  “ forno,” 
on  account  of  its  resemblance  to  the  immense  shallow 
pans  in  which  they  bake  their  farinha  over  the  mandioca 
ovens.  The  Victoria  regia,  with  its  formidable  armor 
of  spines,  its  gigantic  leaves,  and  beautiful  flowers,  deep- 
ening in  color  from  the  velvety  white  outer  leaves  through 
every  shade  of  rose  to  deepest  crimson,  and  fading  again 
to  a creamy,  yellowish  tint  in  the  heart  of  the  flower, 
has  been  described  so  often  that  I hardly  dare  dwell 
upon  it,  for  fear  of  wearying  the  reader.  And  yet  we 
could  not  see  it  growing  in  its  native  waters  — a type. 


356 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


as  it  weue,  of  the  luxuriance  of  tropical  nature  — without 
the  deepest  interest.  Wonderful  as  it  is  when  seen  in 
the  tank  of  a greenhouse*,  and  perhaps  even  more  im- 
pressive, in  a certain  sense,  from  its  isolation,  in  its 
own  home  it  has  the  charm  of  harmony  with  all  that 
surrounds  it,  — with  the  dense  mass  of  forest,  with  palm 
and  parasite,  with  birds  of  glowing  plumage,  with  insects 
of  all  bright  and  wonderful  tints,  and  with  fishes  which, 
though  hidden  in  the  water  beneath  it,  are  not  less  brilliant 
and  varied  than  the  world  of  life  above.  I do  not  remember 
to  have  seen  an  allusion,  in  any  description,  to  the  beautiful 
device  by  which  the  whole  immense  surface  of  the  adult 
leaf  is  contained  within  the  smaller  dimensions  of  the 
young  one  ; though  it  is  well  worth  notice,  as  one  of 
the  neatest  specimens  of  Nature’s  packing.  All  know  the 
heavy  scaffolding  of  ribs  by  which  the  colossal  leaf,  when 
full  grown,  is  supported  on  its  under  side.  In  the  young 
leaf  these  ribs  are  comparatively  small,  but  the  whole  green 
expanse  of  the  adult  leaf  is  gathered  in  between  them  in 
regular  rows  of  delicate  puffings.  At  this  period,  the  leaf 
is  far  below  the  surface  of  the  water,  growing  slowly  up 
from  the  base  of  the  stock  from  which  it  springs.  Thus 
drawn  up,  it  has  the  form  of  a deep  cup  or  vase  ; but 
in  proportion  as  the  ribs  grow,  their  ramifications  stretch- 
ing in  every  direction,  the  leaf  lets  out  one  by  one  its 
little  folds,  to  fill  the  ever-widening  spaces  ; till  at  last, 
when  it  reaches  the  surface  of  the  water,  it  rests  hori- 
zontally above  it,  without  a wrinkle.  Mr.  Agassiz  caused 
several  stocks  to  be  dragged  up  from  the  bottom  (no 
easy  matter,  on  account  of  the  spines),  and  found  the 
leaf-buds  just  starting  between  the  roots,  — little  white 
caps,  not  more  than  half  an  inch  in  height.  There  was 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


357 


another  lily  growing  in  this  lake,  which,  though  diminu- 
tive by  the  side  of  the  Victoria,  would  be  a giant  among 
our  water-lilies.  The  leaf  measured  more  than  a foot  in  di- 
ameter, and  was  slightly  scolloped  around  the  edge.  There 
were  no  open  flowers,  but  the  closed  buds  resembled  those 
of  our  common  white  water-lilies,  and  were  no  larger. 
The  stalk  and  ribs,  unlike  those  of  the  Victoria,  were 
quite  smooth,  and  free  from  thorns.  After  our  visit  to 
the  lilies,  we  paddled  in  among  the  trees  along  the  over- 
flowed margin  of  the  lake,  in  order  that  the  boatmen 
might  cut  down  several  palms  new  to  us.  While  waiting 
under  the  trees  in  the  boat,  we  had  cause  to  admire  the 
variety  and  beauty  of  the  insects  fluttering  about  us  ; the 
large  blue  butterflies  (Morpho),  and  the  brilliant  dragon- 
flies, with  crimson  bodies  and  burnished  wings,  glittering 
with  metallic  lustre.* 

January  21  st.  — Obydos.  We  left  Villa  Bella  yesterday 
with  a large  collection  of  fishes,  and  some  valuable  additions 
to  the  collection  of  palms.  The  general  character  of  the 
fish  collections,  both  from  the  river  Ramos  and  the  Lago 
Maximo,  shows  the  faunas  to  be  the  same  now  as  when  we 
were  here  five  months  ago.  Certainly,  during  this  inter- 
val, migration  has  had  no  perceptible  influence  upon  the 
distribution  of  life  in  these  waters.  Leaving  Villa  Bella  at 
night,  we  reached  Obydos  early  this  morning.  This  pretty 
town  is  one  of  the  most  picturesque  in  position,  on  the 

* During  my  short  stay  in  the  neighborhood  of  Villa  Bella  and  Obydos  I was 
indebted  to  several  residents  of  these  towns  for  assistance  in  collecting ; espe- 
cially to  Padre  Torquato  and  to  Padre  Antonio  Mattos.  My  friend,  Mr.  Hono- 
rio,  who  accompanied  me  to  this  point,  with  the  assistance  of  the  Delegado,  at 
Villa  Bella,  made  also  a very  excellent  collection  of  fishes  in  this  vicinity.  At 
Obydos  Colonel  Bentos  contributed  a very  large  collection  of  fishes  from  the 
Rio  Trombetas.  — L.  A. 


358 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Amazons.  Et  stands  on  a steep  bluff,  commanding  an  exten- 
sive view  of  the  river  west  and  east,  and  is  one  of  the  few 
points  at  which  the  southern  and  northern  shores  are  seen 
at  the  same  time.  The  bluff  of  Obydos  is  crowned  by  a 
fortress,  which  has  stood  here  for  many  years  without 
occasion  to  test  its  power.  It  may  be  doubted  whether  H 
would  be  very  effectual  in  barring  the  river  against  a hostile 
force,  inasmuch  as  its  guns,  though  they  carry  perfectly 
well  to  the  opposite  side,  are  powerless  nearer  home.  The 
slope  of  the  cliff  on  which  the  fortress  stands  intervenes 
between  it  and  the  water  below,  so  that  by  keeping  well  in 
to  shore  the  enemy  could  pass  with  impunity  immediately 
under  the  guns.  The  hill  consists  entirely  of  the  same  red 
drift  so  constantly  recurring  on  the  banks  of  the  Amazons 
and  its  tributaries.  Here  it  is  more  full  of  pebbles  than  at 
Manaos  or  at  Teffe ; and  we  saw  these  pebbles  disposed  in 
lines  or  horizontal  beds,  such  as  are  found  in  the  same  de- 
posit along  the  coast  and  in  the  neighborhood  of  Rio.  The 
city  of  Obydos  is  prettily  laid  out,  its  environs  are  very 
picturesque,  its  soil  extremely  fertile  ; but  it  has  the  same 
aspect  of  neglect  and  hopeless  inactivity  so  painfully  strik- 
ing in  all  the  Amazonian  towns. 

January  23 d.  Yesterday,  in  the  early  morning,  we 

arrived  at  Santarem,  and  went  on  shore  for  a walk  at  half 
past  seven.  The  town  stands  on  a point  of  land  dividing 
the  black  waters  of  the  Tapajoz,  on  the  one  side,  from  the 
yellow  flood  of  the  Amazons  on  the  other,  and  has  a very 
attractive  situation,  enhanced  by  its  background  of  hills 
stretching  away  to  the  eastward.  Our  first  visit  was  to  the 
church,  fronting  on  the  beach  and  standing  invitingly  open. 
We  had,  however,  a special  object  in  entering  it.  In  1819 
Mar tius, the. naturalist,  on  his  voyage  of  exploration  on  the 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


359 


Amazons,  since  made  famous  by  his  great  work  on  the 
Natural  History  of  Brazil,  was  wrecked  off  the  town  of 
Santarem,  and  nearly  lost  his  life.  In  his  great  danger  he 
took  a vow  to  record  his  gratitude,  should  he  live,  by  mak- 
ing a gift  to  the  church  of  Santarem.  After  his  return  to 
Europe,  he  sent  from  Munich  a full-length  figure  of  Christ 
upon  the  cross,  which  now  hangs  against  the  wall,  with  a 
simple  inscription  underneath,  telling  in  a few  words  the 
story  of  his  peril,  his  deliverance,  and  his  gratitude.  As  a 
work  of  art  it  has  no  special  value,  but  it  attracts  many 
persons  to  the  church  who  never  heard  of  Martius  or  his 
famous  journey  ; and  to  Mr.  Agassiz  it  was  especially  inter- 
esting, as  connected  with  the  travels  and  dangers  of  his  old 
friend  and  teacher. 

After  a walk  through  the  town,  which  is  built  with  more 
care,  and  contains  some  houses  having  more  pretensions  to 
comfort  and  elegance  than  we  have  seen  elsewhere  on  the 
Amazons,  we  returned  to  the  ship  for  breakfast.  At  a later 
hour  we  went  on  a very  pleasant  canoe  excursion  to  the  other 
side  of  the  Tapajoz,  again  in  search  of  the  Victoria  regia, 
said  to  grow  in  great  perfection  in  this  neighborhood.  Our 
guide  was  Senhor  Joachim  Rodriguez,  to  whom  Mr. 
Agassiz  has  been  indebted  for  much  personal  kindness,  as 
well  as  for  a very  valuable  collection  made  since  we  stopped 
here  on  our  way  up  the  river,  partly  by  himself  and  partly 
by  his  son,  a bright  boy  of  some  thirteen  years  of  age. 
Crossing  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  we  came  upon  a 
vast  field  of  coarse,  high  grass,  looking  like  an  extensive 
meadow.  To  our  surprise,  the  boatmen  turned  the  canoe 
into  this  green  field,  and  we  found  ourselves  apparently 
navigating  the  land,  for  the  narrow  boat-path  was  entirely 
concealed  by  the  long  reedy  grasses  and  tall  mallow-plants 


860 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL- 


with  large  pink  blossoms  rising  on  either  side,  and  com 
pletely  hiding  the  water  below.  This  marshy,  overflowed 
ground,  above  which  the  water  had  a depth  of  from  four  to 
six  feet,  was  full  of  life.  As  the  rowers  pushed  our  canoe 
through  the  mass  of  grass  and  flowers,  Mr.  Agassiz  gathered 
from  the  blades  and  stalks  all  sorts  of  creatures ; small 
bright-colored  toads  of  several  kinds,  grasshoppers,  beetles, 
dragon-flies,  aquatic  snails,  bunches  of  eggs,  — in  short,  an 
endless  variety  of  living  things,  most  interesting  to  the 
naturalist.  The  harvest  was  so  plentiful  that  we  had  only 
to  put  out  our  hands  and  gather  it;  the  oarsmen,  when  they 
saw  Mr.  Agassiz’s  enthusiasm,  became  almost  as  interested 
as  he  was ; and  he  had  soon  a large  jar  filled  with  objects 
quite  new  to  him.  After  navigating  these  meadows  for 
some  time,  we  came  upon  open  water-spaces  where  the  Vic- 
toria regia  was  growing  in  great  perfection.  The  speci- 
mens were  much  finer  than  those  we  had  seen  before  in  the 
Lago  Maximo.  One  leaf  measured  five  feet  and  a half  in 
diameter,  and  another  five  feet,  the  erect  edge  being  three 
inches  and  a half  in  height.  A number  of  leaves  grew  from 
the  same  stalk  ; and  seen  thus  together  they  are  very  beauti- 
ful, the  bright  rose-color  of  the  outer  edge  contrasting  with 
the  vivid  green  of  the  inner  surface  of  the  leaf.  As  before, 
there  were  no  open  flowers  to  be  seen ; Senhor  Rodriguez 
told  us  that  they  are  cut  by  the  fishermen  almost  as  soon  as 
they  open.  When  Mr.  Agassiz  expressed  a wish  to  get  the 
roots,  two  of  our  boatmen  plunged  into  the  water  with  an 
alacrity  which  surprised  me,  as  we  had  just  been  told  that 
these  marshes  are  the  haunts  of  Jacards.  They  took  turns 
in  diving  to  dig  up  the  plants,  and  succeeded  in  bringing  to 
the  surface  three  large  stalks,  one  with  a flower-bud.  We 
returned  well  pleased  with  our  row  overland. 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


361 


Our  live-stock  is  increasing  as  we  descend  the  river,  and 
we  have  now  quite  a menagerie  on  hoard  ; a number  of 
parrots,  half  a dozen  monkeys,  two  exquisite  little  deer  from 
the  region  of  Monte  Alegre,  and  several  Agamis,  as  tame 
and  gentle  as  barn-yard  fowls,  stepping  about  the  deck  with 
graceful,  dainty  tread,  and  feeding  from  the  hand.  Their 
voices  are  singularly  harsh,  however,  and  out  of  keeping 
with  their  pretty  looks  and  ways.  Every  now  and  then 
they  raise  their  heads,  stretch  their  long  necks,  and  utter  a 
loud,  gurgling  sound,  more  like  the  roll  of  a drum  than  the 
note  of  a bird.  Last,  but  not  least,  we  have  a sloth  on 
board,  the  most  fascinating  of  all  our  pets  to  me,  not  cer- 
tainly for  his  charms,  but  for  his  oddities.  I am  never  tired 
of  watching  him,  he  looks  so  deliciously  lazy.  His  head 
sunk  in  his  arms,  his  whole  attitude  lax  and  indifferent,  he 
seems  to  ask  only  for  rest.  If  you  push  him,  or  if,  as 
often  happens,  a passer-by  gives  him  a smart  tap  to  arouse 
him,  he  lifts  his  head  and  drops  his  arms  so  slowly,  so 
deliberately,  that  they  hardly  seem  to  move,  raises  his  heavy 
lids  and  lets  his  large  eyes  rest  upon  your  face  for  a moment 
with  appealing,  hopeless  indolence  ; then  the  lids  fall  softly, 
the  head  droops,  the  arms  fold  heavily  about  it,  and  he  col- 
lapses again  into  absolute  repose.  This  mute  remonstrance 
is  the  nearest  approach  to  activity  I have  seen  him  make. 
These  live  animals  are  not  all  a part  of  the  scientific  collec- 
tions ; many  of  them  belong  to  the  captain  and  officers.  The 
Brazilians  are  exceedingly  fond  of  pets,  and  almost  every 
house  has  its  monkeys,  its  parrots,  and  other  tame  animals 
and  birds. 

January  2§th.  — Monte  Alegre.  Leaving  Santarem  on 
Tuesday  we  arrived  here  on  Wednesday  morning,  and,  as 
on  our  former  visit,  were  received  most  hospitably  at  the 
16 


362 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


house  of  Senlior  Manuel.  Mr.  Agassiz  and  Mr.  Coutinho 
have  gone  on  a geologizing  excursion  to  the  Serra  d’Erer^, 
that  picturesque  range  of  hills  bounding  the  campos,  or 
open  sandy  plain,  to  the  northwest  of  the  town.  They  took 
different  routes,  Major  Coutinho,  with  Captain  Faria  and  one 
or  two  other  friends,  crossing  the  campos  on  horseback, 
while  Mr.  Agassiz  went  by  canoe.  They  will  meet  at  the 
foot  of  the  Serra,  and  pass  two  or  three  days  in  that  neigh- 
borhood. Little  is  as  yet  known  of  the  geological  structure 
of  the  Amazonian  Serras,  — those  of  Santarem,  of  Monte 
Alegre,  and  of  Almeyrim.  Generally  they  have  been  con- 
sidered as  prolongations  either  of  the  table-land  of  Guiana 
on  the  north,  or  that  of  Brazil  on  the  south.  Mr.  Agassiz 
believes  them  to  be  independent  of  both,  and  more  directly 
connected  with  the  formation  of  the  Amazonian  Valley  itself. 
The  solution  of  this  question  is  his  special  object,  while 
Major  Coutinho  has  taken  barometers  to  determine  the 
height  of  the  range.  In  the  mean  time,  I am  passing  a few 
quiet  days  here,  learning  to  be  more  familiar  with  the  scen- 
ery of  a region  very  justly  called  one  of  the  most  picturesque 
on  the  borders  of  the  Amazons.  Not  only  are  the  views  ex- 
tensive, but  the  friable  nature  of  the  soil,  so  easily  decom- 
posed, combined  with  the  heavy  rains,  has  led  to  the  forma- 
tion of  a variety  of  picturesque  dells  and  hollows,  some  of 
which  have  springs  running  into  them,  surrounded  by  rocky 
banks  and  overhung  with  trees.  One  of  these  is  especially 
pretty ; the  excavation  is  large,  and  has  the  form  of  an  am- 
phitheatre ; its  rocky  walls  are  crowned  with  large  forest- 
trees,  palms,  mimosas,  etc.,  making  a deep  shade ; and  at 
one  side  the  spring  flows  down  from  the  top  of  the  cliff,  with 
a pleasant  ripple.  Here  the  negro  or  Indian  servants  come 
to  fill  their  water-jars.  They  often  have  with  them  the  chil- 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


863 


dren  under  their  charge  ; and  you  may  sometimes  see  the 
large  red  jars  standing  under  the  mouth  of  the  spring  above, 
while  white  babies  and  dark  nurses  splash  about  in  the  cool 
water-basin  below.  Although  in  the  campos  the  growth  is 
low,  and  the  soil  but  scantily  covered  with  coarse  grass  and 
shrubs,  yet,  in  some  localities,  and  especially  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  town,  the  forest  is  beautiful.  We  have  seen  no- 
where larger  and  more  luxuriant  mimosas,  sometimes  of  a 
green  so  rich  and  deep,  and  a foliage  so  close  that  it  is  dif- 
ficult to  believe,  at  a distance,  that  its  dense  mass  is  formed 
by  the  light,  pinnate  leaves  of  a sensitive  plant.  The  palms 
are  also  very  lofty  and  numerous,  including  some  kinds 
which  we  have  not  met  before. 

January  28th. — Yesterday  our  kind  host  arranged  an 
excursion  into  the  country,  for  my  especial  pleasure,  that  I 
might  see  something  of  the  characteristic  amusements  of 
Monte  Alegre.  One  or  two  neighbors  joined  us,  and  the 
children,  a host  of  happy  little  folks,  for  whom  anything 
out  of  the  common  tenor  of  every-day  life  is  ufesta”  were 
not  left  behind.  We  started  on  foot  to  walk  out  into  a very 
picturesque  Indian  village  called  Surubiju.  Here  we  were 
to  breakfast,  returning  afterwards  in  one  of  the  heavy  carts 
drawn  by  oxen,  the  only  conveyance  for  women  and  chil- 
dren in  a country  where  a carriage-road  and  a side-saddle 
are  equally  unknown.  Our  walk  was  very  pleasant,  partly 
through  the  woods,  partly  through  the  campos  ; but  as  it  was 
early  in  the  day,  we  did  not  .miss  the  shade  when  we  chanced 
to  leave  the  trees.  We  lingered  by  the  wayside,  the  chil- 
dren stopping  to  gather  wild  fruits,  of  which  there  were 
a number  on  the  road,  and  to  help  me  in  making  a 
collection  of  plants.  It  was  about  nine  o’clock  when  we 
reached  the  first  straw-house,  where  we  stopped  to  rest. 


364 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Though  it  has  no  longer  the  charm  of  novelty  for  me,  I am 
always  glad  to  visit  an  Indian  cottage.  You  find  a cordial 
welcome ; the  best  hammock,  the  coolest  corner,  and  a cuia 
of  fresh  water  are  ready  for  you.  As  a general  thing,  the 
houses  of  the  Indians  are  also  more  tidy  than  those  of  the 
whites ; and  there  is  a certain  charm  of  picturesqueness 
about  them  which  never  wears  off. 

After  a short  rest,  we  went  on  through  the  settlement, 
where  the  sitios  are  scattered  at  considerable  distances,  and 
so  completely  surrounded  by  trees  that  they  seem  quite  iso- 
lated in  the  forest.  Although  the  Indians  are  said  to  be  a 
lazy  people,  and  are  unquestionably  fitful  and  irregular  in 
their  habits  of  work,  in  almost  all  these  houses  some  charac- 
teristic occupation  was  going  on.  In  two  or  three  the  women 
were  making  hammocks,  in  one  a boy  was  plaiting  the  leaves 
of  the  Curua  palm  into  a tolda  for  his  canoe,  in  another  the 
inmates  were  making  a coarse  kind  of  pottery ; and  in  still  an- 
other a woman,  who  is  quite  famous  in  the  neighborhood  for 
her  skill  in  the  art,  was  painting  cuias.  It  was  the  first  time 
I had  seen  the  prepared  colors  made  from  a certain  kind  of 
clay  found  in  the  Serra.  It  is  just  the  carnival  season,  and,  as 
every  one  has  a right  to  play  pranks  on  his  neighbors,  we  did 
not  get  off  without  making  a closer  acquaintance  than  was 
altogether  pleasant  with  the  rustic  artist’s  colors.  As  we 
were  leaving  the  cottage,  she  darted  out  upon  us,  her  hands 
full  of  blue  and  red  paints.  If  they  had  been  tomahawks, 
they  could  not  have  produced  a more  sudden  rout ; and 
it  was  a complete  sauve  qui  pent  of  the  whole  company 
across  the  little  bridge  which  led  to  the  house.  As  a 
stranger,  I was  spared ; but  all  were  not  fortunate  enough 
to  escape,  and  some  of  the  children  carried  their  blue  and 
red  badges  to  the  end  of  the  day. 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


365 


The  prettiest  of  all  these  forest  sitios  was  one  at  the  bot- 
tom of  a deep  dell,  reached  by  a steep,  winding  path  through 
a magnificent  wood  abounding  in  palms.  But  though  the 
situation  was  most  picturesque,  the  sickly  appearance  of  the 
children  and  the  accounts  of  prevailing  illness  showed  that 
the  locality  was  too  low  and  damp  to  be  healthful.  After  a 
very  pleasant  ramble  we  returned  to  breakfast  at  our  first 
resting-place,  and  at  about  one  o’clock  started  for  town  in 
two  ox-carts  which  had  come  out  to  meet  us.  They  consist 
only  of  a floor  set  on  very  heavy,  creaking  wooden  wheels, 
which,  from  their  primitive,  clumsy  character,  would  seem 
to  be  the  first  wheels  ever  invented.  On  the  floor  a straw- 
mat  was  spread,  an  awning  was  stretched  over  a light 
scaffolding  above,  and  we  were  soon  stowed  away  in  our 
primitive  vehicle,  and  had  a very  gay  and  pleasant  ride  back 
to  town.  Yesterday  evening  Mr.  Agassiz  returned  from  his 
excursion  to  the  Serra  ErerA  I add  here  a little  account 
of  the  journey,  written  out  from  his  notes,  and  containing 
some  remarks  on  the  general  aspect  of  the  country,  its  vege- 
tation and  animals.  A summary  of  the  geological  results 
of  the  excursion  will  be  found  in  a separate  chapter  at  the 
close  of  onr  Amazonian  journey. 

“ I started  before  daylight ; but  as  the  dawn  began  to 
redden  the  sky  large  flocks  of  ducks,  and  of  the  small 
Amazonian  goose,  might  be  seen  flying  towards  the  lakes, 
Here  and  there  a cormorant  sat  alone  on  the  branch  of  a 
dead  tree,  or  a kingfisher  poised  himself  over  the  water, 
watching  for  his  prey.  Numerous  gulls  were  gathered 
in  large  companies  on  the  trees  along  the  river-shore ; 
alligators  lay  on  its  surface,  diving  with  a sudden  plash 
at  the  approach  of  our  canoe  ; and  occasionally  a porpoise 
emerged  from  tlie  water,  showing  himself  for  a moment 


866 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


and  then  disappearing  again.  Sometimes  we  startled  a 
herd  of  capivaras,  resting  on  the  water’s  edge ; and  once 
we  saw  a sloth,  sitting  upon  the  branch  of  an  Imbauba 
tree  (Cecropia),  rolled  up  in  its  peculiar  attitude,  the 
very  picture  of  indolence,  with  its  head  sunk  between  its 
arms.  Much  of  the  river-shore  consisted  of  low,  alluvial 
land,  and  was  covered  with  that  peculiar  and  beautiful 
grass  known  as  Capim  ; this  grass  makes  an  excellent 
pasturage  for  cattle,  and  the  abundance  of  it  in  this 
region  renders  the  district  of  Monte  Alegre  very  favor- 
able for  agricultural  purposes.  Here  and  there,  where 
the  red-clay  soil  rose  above  the  level  of  the  water,,  a 
palm-tliatched  cabin  stood  on  the  low  bluff,  with  a few 
trees  about  it.  Such  a house  was  usually  the  centre  of 
a cattle-farm,  and  large  herds  might  be  seen  grazing  in 
the  adjoining  fields.  Along  the  river-banks,  where  the 
country  is  chiefly  open,  with  extensive  low,  marshy 
grounds,  the  only  palm  to  be  seen  is  the  Mar aj a (Geonoma). 
After  keeping  along  the  Rio  Gurupatuba  for  some  distance, 
we  turned  to  the  right  into  a narrow  stream,  which  has 
the  character  of  an  igarape  in  its  lower  course,  though 
higher  up  it  drains  the  country  between  the  serra  of 
Erer6  and  that  of  Tajury,  and  assumes  the  appearance 
of  a small  river.  It  is  named  after  the  serra,  and  is 
known  as  the  Rio  Erere.  This  stream,  narrow  and  pic- 
turesque, and  often  so  overgrown  with  capim  that  the 
canoe  pursued  its  course  with  difficulty,  passed  through 
a magnificent  forest  of  the  beautiful  fan-palm,  called  the 
Miriti  (Mauritia  flexuosa).  This  forest  stretched  for  miles, 
overshadowing,  as  a kind  of  underbrush,  many  smaller  trees 
and  innumerable  shrubs,  some  of  which  bore  bright,  con- 
spicuous flowers.  It  seemed  to  me  a strange  spectacle, — ■ 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


367 


a forest  of  monocotyledonous  trees  with  a dicotyledonous 
undergrowth  ; the  inferior  plants  thus  towering  above  and 
sheltering  the  superior  ones.  Among  the  lower  trees  were 
many  LeguminosaB, — one  of  the  most  striking,  called  Fava, 
having  a colossal  pod.  The  whole  mass  of  vegetation  was 
woven  together  by  innumerable  lianas  and  creeping  vines, 
in  the  midst  of  which  the  flowers  of  the  Bignonia,  with 
its  open,  trumpet-shaped  corolla,  were  conspicuous.  The 
capim  was  bright  with  the  blossoms  of  the  mallow,  grow- 
ing in  its  midst ; and  was  often  edged  with  the  broad-leaved 
Aninga,  a large  aquatic  Arum. 

“ Through  such  a forest,  where  the  animal  life  was  no 
less  rich  and  varied  than  the  vegetation,  our  boat  glided 
slowly  for  hours.  The  number  and  variety  of  birds  struck 
me  with  astonishment.  The  coarse,  sedgy  grasses  on  either 
side  were  full  of  water  birds,  one  of  the  most  common  of 
which  was  a small  chestnut-brown  wading  bird,  the  Jagana 
(Parra),  whose  toes  are  immensely  long  in  proportion  to  its 
size,  enabling  it  to  run  upon  the  surface  of  the  aquatic  vege- 
tation, as  if  it  were  solid  ground.  It  was  now  the  month 
of  January,  their  breeding  season  ; and  at  every  turn  of 
the  boat  we  started  them  up  in  pairs.  Their  flat,  open 
nests  generally  contained  five  flesh-colored  eggs,  streaked 
in  zigzag  with  dark  brown  lines.  The  other  waders  were 
a snow-white  heron,  another  ash-colored,  smaller  species, 
and  a large  white  stork.  The  ash-colored  herons  were 
always  in  pairs  ; the  white  ones  always  single,  standing 
quiet  and  alone  on  the  edge  of  the  water,  or  half  hidden 
in  the  green  capim.  The  trees  and  bushes  were  full  of 
small  warbler-like  birds,  which  it  would  be  difficult  to 
characterize  separately.  To  the  ordinary  observer  they 
might  seem  like  the  small  birds  of  our  woods  ; but  there 


368 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


was  one  species  among  them  which  attracted  my  attention 
by  its  numbers,  and  also  because  it  builds  the  most  ex- 
traordinary nest,  considering  the  size  of  the  bird  itself, 
that  I have  ever  seen.  It  is  known  among  the  country 
people  by  two  names,  as  the  Pedreiro  or  the  Forneiro ; 
both  names  referring,  as  will  be  seen,  to  the  nature  of 
its  habitation.  This  singular  nest  is  built  of  clay,  and 
is  as  hard  as  stone  ( pedra ),  while  it  has  the  form  of  the 
round  mandioca  oven  ( forno ) in  which  the  country  people 
prepare  their  farinha,  or  flour,  made  from  the  mandioca 
root.  It  is  about  a foot  in  diameter,  and  stands  edgewise 
upon  a branch,  or  in  the  crotch  of  a tree.  Among  the 
smaller  birds  I noticed  bright  Tanagers,  and  also  a species 
resembling  the  Canary.  Besides  these,  there  were  the 
wagtails  ; the  black  and  white  widow-finches  ; the  hang- 
nests,  or  Japi,  as  they  are  called  here,  with  their  pen- 
dent, bag-like  dwellings,  and  the  familiar  “ Bern  ti  vi.” 
Humming-birds,  which  we  are  always  apt  to  associate  with 
tropical  vegetation,  were  very  scarce.  I saw  but  a few 
specimens.  Thrushes  and  doves  were  more  frequent,  and 
I noticed  also  three  or  four  kinds  of  woodpeckers,  beside 
parrots  and  paroquets ; of  these  latter  there  were  countless 
numbers  along  our  canoe  path,  flying  overhead  in  dense 
crowds,  and  at  times  drowning  every  other  sound  in  their 
high,  noisy  chatter. 

“ Some  of  these  birds  made  a deep  impression  upon  me. 
Indeed,  in  all  regions,  however  far  away  from  his  own  home, 
in  the  midst  of  a fauna  and  flora  entirely  new  to  him,  the 
traveller  is  startled  occasionally  by  the  song  of  a bird  or  the 
sight  of  a flower  so  familiar  that  it  transports  him  at  once 
to  woods  where  every  tree  is  like  a friend  to  him.  It  seems 
as  if  something  akin  to  what  in  our  own  mental  experience 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


369 


we  call  reminiscence  or  association  existed  in  the  workings 
of  Nature ; for  though  the  organic  combinations  are  so  dis- 
tinct in  different  climates  and  countries,  they  never  wholly 
exclude  each  other.  Every  zoological  and  botanical  prov- 
ince retains  some  link  which  binds  it  to  all  the  others,  and 
makes  it  part  of  the  general  harmony.  The  Arctic  lichen 
is  found  growing  under  the  shadow  of  the  palm  on  the 
rocks  of  the  tropical  serra ; and  the  song  of  the  thrush  and 
the  tap  of  the  woodpecker  mingle  with  the  sharp,  discord- 
ant cries  of  the  parrot  and  paroquet. 

“ Birds  of  prey,  also,  were  not  wanting.  Among  them  was 
one  about  the  size  of  our  kite,  and  called  the  Red  Hawk, 
which  was  so  tame  that,  even  when  our  canoe  passed  im- 
mediately under  the  low  branch  on  which  he  was  sitting,  he 
did  not  fly  away.  But,  of  all  the  groups  of  birds,  the  most 
striking  as  compared  with  corresponding  groups  in  the  tem- 
perate zone,  and  the  one  which  reminded  me  the  most  dis- 
tinctly of  the  fact  that  every  region  has  its  peculiar  animal 
world,  was  that  of  the  gallinaceous  birds.  The  most  fre- 
quent is  the  Cigana,  to  be  seen  in  groups  of  fifteen  or  twenty, 
perched  upon  trees  overhanging  the  water,  and  feeding  upon 
berries.  At  night  they  roost  in  pairs,  but  in  the  daytime 
are  always  in  larger  companies.  In  their  appearance  they 
have  something  of  the  character  of  both  the  pheasant  and 
peacock,  and  yet  do  not  closely  resemble  either.  It  is  a 
curious  fact,  that,  with  the  exception  of  some  small  par- 
tridge-like gallinaceous  birds,  all  the  representatives  of  this 
family  in  Brazil,  and  especially  in  the  valley  of  the  Ama- 
zons, belong  to  types  which  do  not  exist  in  other  parts  of 
the  world.  Here  we  find  neither  pheasants,  nor  cocks  of  the 
woods,  nor  grouse ; but  in  their  place  abound  the  Mu  turn, 
the  Jacu,  the  Jacami,  and  the  Unicorn  (Crax,  Penelope, 
16* 


X 


370 


A JOURNLW  IN  BRAZIL. 


Psopliia,  and  Palamedea),  all  of  which  are  so  remote  from 
the  gallinaceous  types  found  farther  north  that  they  remind 
one  quite  as  much  of  the  bustard,  and  other  ostrich -like 
birds,  as  of  the  hen  and  pheasant.  They  differ  also  from 
northern  gallinaceous  birds  in  the  greater  uniformity  of  the 
sexes,  none  of  them  exhibiting  those  striking  differences 
bet  Teen  the  males  and  females  which  we  see  in  the  pheas- 
ants, the  cocks  of  the  woods,  and  in  our  barn-yard  fowls, 
though  the  plumage  of  the  young  has  the  yellowish-mottled 
color  distinguishing  the  females  of  most  species  of  this  fam-  j 
ily.  While  birds  abounded  in  such  numbers,  insects  were 
rather ' scarce.  I saw  but  few  and  small  butterflies,  and  I 
beetles  were  still  more  rare.  The  most  numerous  insects 
were  the  dragon-flies,  — some  with  crimson  bodies,  black 
heads,  and  burnished  wings ; others  with  large  green  I 
bodies,  crossed  by  blue  bands.  Of  land-shells  I saw  but  I 

one,  creeping  along  the  reeds ; and  of  water-shells  I gath- 
ered only  a few  small  Ampullariae. 

“ Having  ascended  the  river  to  a point  nearly  on  a line  i| 
with  the  serra,  I landed,  and  struck  across  the  campos  on 
foot.  Here  I entered  upon  an  entirely  different  region,  — a I 
dry,  open  plain,  with  scanty  vegetation.  The  most  promi- 
nent plants  were  clusters  of  Cacti  and  Curua  palms,  a kind 
of  stemless,  low  palm,  with  broad,  elegant  leaves  springing  ( 
vase-like  from  the  ground.  In  these  dry,  sandy  fields,  ris-  j 
ing  gradually  toward  the  serra,  I observed  in  the  deeper 
gullies  formed  by  the  heavy  rains  the  laminated  clays  which 
are  everywhere  the  foundation  of  the  Amazonian  strata. 
They  here  presented  again  so  much  the  character  of  ordi- 
nary clay-slates  that  I thought  I had  at  last  come  upon 
some  old  geological  formation.  Instead  of  this  I only  ob 
tained  fresh  evidence  that,  by  baking  them,  the  burning  sue 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


371 


of  the  tropics  may  produce  upon  laminated  clays  of  recent 
origin  the  same  effect  as  plutonic  agencies  have  produced 
upon  the  ancient  clays,  — that  is,  it  may  change  them  into 
metamorpliic  slates.  As  I approached  the  serra,  I was 
again  reminded  how,  under  the  most  dissimilar  circum- 
stances, similar  features  recur  everywhere  in  nature.  I 
came  suddenly  upon  a little  creek,  bordered  with  the  usual 
vegetation  of  such  shallow  watercourses,  and  on  its  brink 
stood  a sand-piper,  which  flew  away  at  my  approach,  utter- 
ing its  peculiar  cry,  so  like  what  we  hear  at  home  that, 
had  I not  seen  him,  I should  have  recognized  him  by  his 
voice.  After  an  hour’s  walk  under  the  scorching  sun,  I 
was  glad  to  find  myself  at  the  hamlet  of  Erere,  near  the 
foot  of  the  serra,  where  I rejoined  my  companions.  This 
is  almost  the  only  occasion  in  all  my  Amazonian  journey 
when  I have  passed  a day  in  the  pure  enjoyment  of  nature, 
without  the  labor  of  collecting,  which  in  this  hot  climate, 
where  specimens  require  such  immediate  and  constant  at- 
tention, is  very  great.  I learned  how  rich  a single  day  may 
be  in  this  wonderful  tropical  world,  if  one’s  eyes  are  only 
open  to  the  wealth  of  animal  and  vegetable  life.  Indeed,  a 
few  hours  so  spent  in  the  field,  in  simply  watching  animals 
and  plants,  teaches  more  of  the  distribution  of  life  than  a 
month  of  closet  study ; for  under  such  circumstances  all 
things  are  seen  in  their  true  relations.  Unhappily,  it  is  not 
easy  to  present  the  picture  as  a whole ; for  all  our  written  de- 
scriptions are  more  or  less  dependent  on  nomenclature,  and 
the  local  names  are  hardly  known  out  of  the  districts  where 
they  belong,  while  systematic  names  are  familiar  to  few.” 
January  30 th.  — On  board  the  “Ibicuhy.”  Yesterday 
we  parted  from  our  kind  hosts,  and  bade  good  by  to  Monte 
Alegre.  I shall  long  retain  a picture,  half  pleasant,  half  sad, 


372 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


of  its  shady,  picturesque  walks  and  dells ; of  its  wide  green 
square,  with  the  unfinished  cathedral  in  the  centre,  where 
trees  and  vines  mantle  the  open  doors  and  windows,  and 
grass  grows  thick  over  the  unfrequented  aisles ; of  its  neg- 
lected cemetery,  and  the  magnificent  view  it  commands  over 
an  endless  labyrinth  of  lakes  on  one  side,  beyond  which 
glitter  the  yellow  waters  of  the  Amazons,  while,  on  the  other, 
the  level  campos  is  bordered  by  the  picturesque  heights  of 
the  distant  Serra.  I have  never  been  able  to  explain  quite  to 
my  own  satisfaction  the  somewhat  melancholy  impression 
which  this  region,  lovely  as  it  unquestionably  is,  made  upon 
me  when  I first  saw  it,  — an  impression  not  wholly  destroyed 
by  a longer  residence.  Perhaps  it  is  the  general  aspect 'of 
incompleteness  and  decay,  the  absence  of  energy  and  enter- 
prise, making  the  lavish  gifts  of  Nature  of  no  avail.  In  the 
midst  of  a country  which  should  be  overflowing  with  agri- 
cultural products,  neither  milk,  nor  butter,  nor  cheese, 
nor  vegetables,  nor  fruit,  are  to  be  had.  You  constantly 
hear  people  complaining  of  the  difficulty  of  procuring  even 
the  commonest  articles  of  domestic  consumption,  when,  in 
fact,  they  ought  to  be  produced  by  every  land-owner.  The 
agricultural  districts  in  Brazil  are  rich  and  fertile,  but  there 
is  no  agricultural  population.  The  nomad  Indian,  floating 
about  in  his  canoe,  the  only  home  to  which  he  has  a genuine 
attachment,  never  striking  root  in  the  soil,  has  no  genius 
for  cultivating  the  ground.  As  an  illustration  of  the  Indian 
character,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  record  an  incident  which 
occurred  yesterday  when  we  were  leaving  Monte  Alegre.  On 
his  journey  to  Erer6,  Major  Coutinho  had  been  requested  by 
an  Indian  and  his  wife,  whose  acquaintance  he  had  made  in  1 
former  excursions  there,  to  take  one  of  their  boys,  a child 
about  eight  years  of  age,  with  him  to  Rio.  This  is  very  com- 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


3T3 


mon  among  the  Indians  ; they  are  not  unwilling  to  give  up 
their  children,  if  they  can  secure  a maintenance  for  them, 
and  perhaps  some  advantages  of  education  besides.  On  the 
day  of  departure,  the  mother  and  father  and  two  sisters 
accompanied  the  child  to  the  steamer,  but  I think,  as  the 
sequel  showed,  rather  for  the  sake  of  seeing  the  ship,  and 
having  a day  of  amusement,  than  from  any  sentiment  about 
parting  with  the  child.  When  the  moment  of  separation 
came,  the  mother,  with  an  air  of  perfect  indifference,  gave  the 
little  boy  her  hand  to  kiss.  The  father  seemed  to  be  going 
off  without  remembering  his  son  at  all ; but  the  little  fellow 
ran  after  him,  took  his  hand  and  kissed  it,  and  then  stood 
crying  and  broken-hearted  on  the  deck,  while  the  whole 
family  put  off  in  the  canoe,  talking  and  laughing  gayly, 
without  showing  him  the  least  sympathy.  Such  traits  are 
said  to  be  very  characteristic  of  the  Indians.  They  are 
cold  in  their  family  affections ; and  though  the  mothers  are 
very  fond  of  their  babies,  they  seem  comparatively  indiffer- 
ent to  them  as  they  grow  up.  It  is,  indeed,  impossible  to 
rely  upon  the  affection  of  an  Indian,  even  though  isolated 
cases  of  remarkable  fidelity  have  been  known  among  them. 
But  I have  been  told  over  and  over  again,  by  those  who 
have  had  personal  experience  in  the  matter,  that  you  may 
take  an  Indian  child,  bring  him  up,  treat  him  with  every 
kindness,  educate  him,  clothe  him,  and  find  him  to  be  a 
useful  and  seemingly  faithful  member  of  the  household  ; one 
day  he  is  gone,  you  know  not  where,  and  in  every  proba- 
bility you  will  never  hear  of  him  again.  Theft  is  not  one 
of  their  vices.  On  the  contrary,  such  an  Indian,  if  he 
deserts  the  friend  who  has  reared  him  and  taken  care  of 
him,  is  very  likely  to  leave  behind  him  all  his  clothes,  except 
those  he  has  on,  and  any  presents  he  may  have  received. 


374 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


The  only  thing  li  e may  be  tempted  to  take  will  be  a canoe 
and  a pair  of  oars : with  these  an  Indian  is  rich.  He  only 
wants  to  get  back  to  his  woods ; and  he  is  deterred  by  no 
sentiment  of  affection,  or  consideration  of  interest. 

To-day  we  are  passing  the  hills  of  Almeyrim.  The  last 
time  we  saw  them  it  was  in  the  glow  of  a brilliant  sunset ; 
to-day,  ragged  edges  of  clouds  overhang  them,  and  they  aie 
sombre  under  a leaden,  rainy  sky.  It  is  delightful  to  Mr. 
Agassiz,  in  returning  to  this  locality,  to  find  that  phenomena, 
widen  were  a blank  to  him  on  our  voyage  up  the  river,  are 
perfectly  explicable  now  that  he  has  had  an  opportunity  of 
studying  the  geology  of  the  Amazonian  Valley.  When  we 
passed  these  singular  flat-topped  hills  before,  he  had  no  clew  j 
to  their  structure  or  their  age,  — whether  granite,  as  they  have 
been  said  to  be,  or  sandstone  or  limestone  ; whether  primi- 
tive, secondary,  or  tertiary  : and  their  strange  form  made  the 
problem  still  more  difficult.  Now  he  sees  them  simply  as  j 
the  remnants  of  a plain  which  once  filled  the  whole  valley  of 
the  Amazons,  from  the  Andes  to  the  Atlantic,  from  Guiana 
to  Central  Brazil.  Denudations  on  a colossal  scale,  hitherto 
unknown  to  geologists,  have  turned  this  plain  into  a laby-  j i 
rinth  of  noble  rivers,  leaving  only  here  and  there,  where  the  | 
formation  has  resisted  the  rush  of  waters,  low  mountains 
and  chains  of  hills  to  tell  what  was  its  thickness.* 

February  1st.  — On  Tuesday  evening  we  reached  Porto  do 
Moz,  on  the  river  Xingu,  where  we  had  expected  to  be  de-  ( 
tained  several  days,  as  Mr.  Agassiz  wished  especially  to 
obtain  the  fishes  from  this  river,  and,  if  possible,  from  its  j $ 
upper  and  lower  course,  between  which  rapids  intervene,  i 
He  found,  however,  his  harvest  ready  to  his  hand.  Senhor 
Vinlias,  with  whom,  when  stopping  here  for  a few  hours  )ii 

* Sec  Chapter  XIII.,  on  the  Physical  History  of  the  Amazons. 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


375 


his  voyage  up  the  river,  he  had  had  some  conversation  respect- 
ing the  scientific  objects  of  his  visit  to  the  Amazons,  has  made 
during  our  absence  one  of  the  finest  collections  obtained  in 
the  whole  course  of  our  journey,  containing,  in  separate  lots, 
the  fishes  from  above  and  below  the  cascade.  By  means  of 
this  double  collection,  which  Mr.  Agassiz  has  already  exam- 
ined carefully,  he  ascertains  the  fact  that  the  faunae  on  either 
side  of  the  falls  are  entirely  distinct  from  each  other,  as  are 
those  of  the  upper  and  lower  courses  of  the  Amazons,  and  also 
those  of  its  tributaries,  lakes,  and  igarapes.  This  is  a most 
important  addition  to  the  evidence  already  obtained  of  the 
distinct  localization  of  species  throughout  the  waters  of  the 
Amazonian  Talley.  We  regretted  that,  on  account  of  the 
absence  of  Senor  Yinhas  from  the  town,  we  could  not  thank 
him  in  person  for  this  valuable  contribution.  Finding  that  the 
efforts  of  this  gentleman  had  really  left  nothing  to  be  done 
in  this  locality,  unless,  indeed,  we  could  have  stayed  long 
enough  to  make  collections  in  all  the  water-basins  connected 
with  the  Xingu,  we  left  early  in  the  morning  and  reached 
Gurupa  yesterday.  This  little  town  stands  on  a low  cliff 
some  thirty  feet  above  the  river.  On  a projecting  point  of 
this  cliff  there  is  an  old,  abandoned  fort ; and  in  the  open 
place  adjoining  it  stands  a church  of  considerable  size,  and 
seemingly  in  good  repair.  But  the  settlement  is  evidently 
not  prosperous.  Many  of  its  houses  are  ruinous  and  de- 
serted, and  there  is  even  less  of  activity  in  the  aspect  of  the 
place  than  in  most  of  the  Amazonian  villages.  We  heard 
much  of  its  insalubrity,  and  found  very  severe  cases  of  inter- 
mittent fever  in  one  or  two  of  the  houses  we  entered.  While 
Mr.  Agassiz  made  a call  upon  the  subdelegado,  who  was 
himself  confined  to  his  room  with  fever,  I was  invited  to  rest 
in  the  open  veranda  of  a neighboring  house,  which  looked 


376 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


pretty  and  attractive  enough ; for  it  opened  into  a sunny 
garden,  where  bananas  and  oranges  and  palm-trees  were 
growing.  But  the  old  woman  who  received  me  complained 
bitterly  of  the  dampness,  to  which,  indeed,  her  hoarse  cough 
and  rheumatism  bore  testimony ; and  a man  was  lying  in  his 
hammock,  slung  under  the  porch,  who  was  worn  to  mere 
skin  and  bone  with  fever.  Here  also  we  received  some 
valuable  specimens,  collected,  since  our  previous  visit,  by 
the  subdelegado  and  one  or  two  other  residents. 

February  3 d.  — On  Thursday  we  reached  Tajapuru,  where 
we  were  detained  for  two  days  on  account  of  some  little  re 
pair  needed  on  the  steamer.  The  place  is  interesting  as 
showing  what  may  be  done  on  the  Amazons  in  a shott 
time  by  enterprise  and  industry.  A settler  in  these  regions 
may,  if  he  has  the  taste  and  culture  to  appreciate  it,  sur- 
round himself  with  much  that  is  attractive  in  civilized  life. 
Some  seventeen  years  ago  Senhor  Sepeda  established  him- 
self at  this  spot,  then  a complete  wilderness.  He  lias  now 
a very  large  and  pleasant  country-house,  with  a garden  in 
front  and  walks  in  the  forest  around.  The  interior  of  the 
house  is  commodious  and  tasteful ; and  we  could  not  but 
wish,  while  we  enjoyed  Senhor  Sepeda’s  hospitality,  that  his 
example  might  be  followed,  and  that  there  might  be  many 
such  homes  on  the  banks  of  the  Amazons.  This  morning 
we  are  again  on  our  way  down  the  river. 

February  4 th . — We  reached  Para  to-day,  parting,  not 
without  regret,  from  the  “ Ibiculiy,”  on  board  of  which  we 
have  spent  so  many  pleasant  weeks.  Before  we  left  the 
vessel,  Captain  Faria  ordered  the  carpenter  to  take  down 
our  little  pavilion  on  deck.  It  had  been  put  up  for  our 
accommodation,  and  had  served  as  our  dining-room  and 
our  working-room,  our  shelter  from  the  sun,  and  our  snug 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


877 


retreat  in  floods  of  rain.*  On  arriving  in  Par&  we  found 
ourselves  at  once  at  home  in  the  house  of  our  kind  friend, 
Senhor  Pimenta  Bueno,  where  we  look  forward  to  a pleasant 
rest  from  our  wanderings.  I insert  here  a letter  to  the 
Emperor,  written  two  or  three  weeks  later,  and  containing 
a short  summary  of  the  scientific  work  on  the  Amazons. 

Paka,  23  Fevrier,  1866. 

Sire  : — En  arrivant  a Par 4,  au  commencement  de  ce 
mois  j’ai  eu  le  bonheur  d’y  trouver  l’excellente  lettre 
de  Yotre  Majeste,  qui  m’attendait  depuis  quelques  jours. 
J’aurais  du  y repondre  immediatement ; mais  je  n’etais 
pas  en  etat  de  le  faire,  taut  j’etais  accable  de  fatigue.  II 
y a trois  ou  quatre  jours  seulement  que  je  commence  de 
nouveau  a m’occuper  de  mes  affaires.  J’avouerai  meme 
que  le  pressentiment  des  regrets  qui  m’auraient  poursuivi 
le  reste  de  mes  jours  m’a  seul  empechd  de  retourner  di- 
rectement  aux  Etats-Unis.  Aujourd’hui  encore  j’ai  de 
la  peine  vaquer  aux  occupations  les  plus  simples.  Et 
cependant  je  lie  suis  pas  malade  ; je  suis  seulement  dpuisd 
par  un  travail  incessant  et  par  la  contemplation  tous  les 
jours  plus  vive  et  plus  impressive  des  grandeurs  et  des  beau- 
t6s  de  cette  nature  tropicale.  J’aurais  besoin  pour  quelque 
temps  de  la  vue  monotone  et  sombre  d’une  foret  de  sapins. 

Que  vous  etes  bon,  Sire,  de  penser  a moi  au  milieu  des 
affaires  vitales  qui  absorbent  votre  attention  et  combien 
vos  procedes  sont  pleins  de  delicatesse.  Le  cadeau  de 
nouvel-an  que  vous  m’annoncez  m’enchante.  La  perspec- 

* It  is  but  fitting  that  I should  express  here  my  thanks  to  Captain  Faria 
for  the  courteous  manner  in  which  he  accomplished  the  task  assigned  him  by 
the  government.  He  was  not  only  a most  hospitable  host  on  board  his  vessel, 
but  he  allowed  me  to  encumber  his  deck  with  all  kinds  of  scientific  apparatus, 
and  gave  me  very  efficient  assistance  in  collecting.  — L.  A 


378 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


tive  de  pouvoir  ajouter  quelques  comparaisons  des  poissons 
du  bassin  de  1’ Uruguay  a celles  que  j’ai  deja  faites  des 
especes  de  1’  Amazone  et  des  fleuves  de  la  cdte ' orientale 
du  Bresil  a un  attrait  tout  particulier.  Ce  sera  le  premier 
pas  vers  la  connaissance  des  types  de  la  zone  temp^ree  dans 
l’Amerique  du  Sud.  Aussi  est-ce  avec  une  impatience 
croissante  que  je  vois  venir  le  moment  ou  je  pourrai  les 
examiner.  En  attendant,  permettez-moi  de  vous  donner 
un  aper^u  rapide  des  resultats  obtenus  jusqu’a  ce  jour 
dans  le  voyage  de  l’Amazone. 

Je  ne  reviendrai  pas  sur  ce  qu’il  y a de  surprenant  dans 
la  grande  variete  des  especes  de  poissons  de  ce  bassin,  bien 
qu’il  me  soit  encore  difficile  de  me  familiariser  avec  l’idee 
que  l’Amazone  nourrit  a peu-pr^s  deux  fois  plus  d’esp&ces 
que  la  Mediterrannee  et  un  nombre  plus  considerable  que 
l’Ocdan  Atlantique  d’un  pdle  a l’autre.  Je  ne  puis  ce- 
pendant  plus  dire  avec  la  meme  precision  quel  est  le 
nombre  exact  d’especes  de  l’Amazone  que  nous  nous 
sommes  procurees,  parceque  depuis  que  je  reviens  sur  mes 
pas,  en  descendant  le  grand  fleuve,  je  vois  des  poissons  prets 
a frayer  que  j’avais  tvus  dans  d’autres  circonstances  et 
vice  versa,  et  sans  avoir  recours  aux  collections  que  j’ai 
faites  il  y a six  mois  et  qui  ne  me  sont  pas  accessibles 
aujourd’hui,  il  m’est  souvent  impossible  de  determiner  de 
m^moire  si  ce  sont  les  memes  especes  ou  d’autres  qui 
m’avaient  6chapp6  lors  de  mon  premier  examen.  J’estime 
cependant  que  le  nombre  total  des  especes  que  je  poss£de 
actuellement  depasse  dix-huit  cents  et  atteint  peut-etre 
a deux  mille.  Mais  ce  n’est  pas  seulement  le  nombre  des 
especes  qui  surprendra  les  naturalistes  ; le  fait  qu’elles 
sont  pour  la  plupart  circonscrites  dans  des  limites  re- 
streintes  est  bien  plus  surprenant  encore  et  ne  laissera 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


379 


pas  que  d’avoir  une  influence  directe  sur  les  id£es  qui 
se  rdpandent  de  nos  jours  sur  l’origiiie  des  etres  vivants. 
Que  dans  un  fleuve  comme  le  Mississippi,  qui,  du  Nord 
au  Sud,  passe  successivement  par  les  zones  froide,  tem- 
ple et  chaude,  qui  roule  ses  eaux  tantdt  sur  une  for- 
mation geologique,  tantSt  sur  une  autre,  et  traverse  des 
plaines  couvertes  au  Nord  d’une  vegdtation  presque  arc- 
tique  et  au  Sud  d’une  flore  subtropicale,  — que  dans  un 
pared  bassin  on  rencontre  des  especes  d’animaux  aqua- 
tiques  diffbrentes,  sur  diffe  rents  points  de  son  trajet,  9a 
se  comprend  des  qu’on  s’est  habitu^  a envisager  les  con- 
ditions generates  d’existence  et  le  climat  en  particulier 
comme  la  cause  premiere  de  la  diversity  que  les  ani- 
maux  et  les  plantes  offrent  entre  eux,  dans  les  diffdrentes 
localites  ; mais  que,  de  Tabatinga  au  Par&,  dans  un  fleuve 
ou  les  eaux  ne  varient  ni  par  leur  temperature,  ni  par 
la  nature  de  leur  lit,  ni  par  la  vegetation  qui  les  borde, 
que  dans  de  pareilles  circonstances  on  rencontre,  de  dis- 
tance en  distance,  des  assemblages  de  poissons  complStement 
distincts  les  uns  des  autres,  c’est  ce  qui  a lieu  d’^tonner. 
Je  dirai  meme  que  dor&iavant  cette  distribution,  qui  peut 
etre  v^rifiee  par  quiconque  voudra  s’en  donner  la  peine, 
doit  jeter  beaucoup  de  doute  sur  l’opinion  qui  attribue 
la  diversity  des  etres  vivants  aux  influences  locales. 

Un  autre  c6te  de  ce  sujet,  encore  plus  curieux  peut-etre, 
est  l’intensit^  avec  laquelle ' la  vie  s’est  manifestee  dans 
ces  eaux.  Tous  les  fleuves  de  l’Europe  reunis,  depuis  le 
Tage  jusqu’au  Yolga,  ne  nourissent  pas  cent  cinquante  es- 
peces de  poissons  d’eau  douce  ; et  cependant,  dans  un  petit 
lac  des  environs  de  Manaos,  nomm£  Lago  Hyanuarj,  qui  a 
a peine  quatre  ou  cinq-cents  metres  carres  de  surface, 
nous  avons  ddcouvert  plus  de  deux-cents  especes  dis- 


880 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


tinctes,  dont  la  plupart  n’ont  pas  encore  dtd  observees 
ailleurs.  Quel  contraste ! 

L’dtude  du  melange  des  races  humaines  qui  se  croisent 
dans  ces  regions  m’a  aussi  beaucoup  occupe  et  je  me  suis 
procure  de  nombreuses  photographies  de  tons  les  types 
que  j’ai  pu  observer.  Le  principal  resultat  auquel  je  suis 
arrive  est  que  les  races  se  comportent  les  unes  vis-a-vis 
des  autres  comme  des  especes  distinctes  ; c.  a.  d.  que  les  liy- 
brides  qui  naissent  du  croisement  d’hommes  de  race  diffe- 
rente  sont  toujours  un  melange  des  deux  types  primitifs 
et  jamais  la  simple  reproduction  des  caracteres  de  l’un  ou 
de  l’autre  des  progdniteurs,  comme  c’est  le  cas  pour  les 
races  d’animaux  domestiques. 

Je  ne  dirai  rien  de  mes  autres  collections  qui  out  pour 
la  plupart  ete  faites  par  mes  jeunes  compagnons  de  voyage, 
plutot  en  vue  d’enrichir  notre  musde  que  de  resoudre 
quelques  questions  scientifiques.  Mais  je  ne  saurais  laisser 
passer  cette  occasion  sans  exprimer  ma  vive  reconnaissance 
pour  toutes  les  facilites  que  j’ai  dues  a la  bienveillance  de 
Yotre  Majeste,  dans  mes  explorations.  Depuis  le  Prdsident 
jusqu’au  plus  humbles  employds  des  provinces  que  j’ai  par-  # 
courues,  tous  ont  rivalise  d’empressement  pour  me  faciliter 
mon  travail  et  la  Compagnie  des  vapeurs  de  l’Amazone  a 
dtd  d’une  liberalite  extreme  a mon  egard.  Enfin,  Sire,  la 
gendrositd  avec  laquelle  vous  avez  fait  mettre  un  navire  de 
guerre  a ma  disposition  m’a  permis  de  faire  des  collections 
qui  seraient  restdes  inaccessibles  pour  moi,  sans  un  moyen 
de  transport  aussi  vaste  et  aussi  rapide.  Permettez-moi 
d’ajouter  que  de  toutes  les  faveurs  dont  Yotre  Majeste  m’a 
comble  pour  ce  voyage,  la  plus  prdcieuse  a dtd  la  presence 
du  Major  Coutinho,  dont  la  familiarite  avec  tout  ce  qui  re- 
garde l’Amazone  a dtd  une  source  intarissable  de  renseigne- 


DOWN  THE  AMAZONS. 


381 


ments  importants  et  de  directions  utiles  pour  dviter  des 
courses  oiseuses  et  la  perte  d’un  temps  prdcieux.  L’dten- 
due  des  connaissances  de  Coutinlio,  en  ce  qui  touche  P Ama- 
zon©, est  vraiment  encycopedique,  et  je  crois  que  ce  serait 
un  grand  service  a rendre  a la  science  que  de  lui  fournir 
l’occasion  de  rediger  et  de  publier  tout  ce  qu’il  a observe 
pendant  ses  visites  rdpdtdes  et  prolongdes  dans  cette  partie 
de  l’Empire.  Sa  cooperation  pendant  ce  dernier  voyage 
a dte  des  plus  laborieuses  ; il  s’est  mis  a la  zoologie  comme 
si  les  sciences  physiques  n’avaient  pas  dtd  l’objet  special 
de  ses  etudes,  en  meme  temps  qu’il  a fait  par  devers  lui  de 
nombreuses  observations  thermometriques,  barometriques, 
et  astronomiques,  qui  ajouteront  de  bons  jalons  a ce  que 
l’on  possede  deja  sur  la  meteorologie  et  la  topograpliie  de 
ces  provinces.  C’est  ainsi  que  nous  avons  les  premiers 
portd  le  barometre  au  milieu  des  collines  d’Almeyrim,  de 
Monte  Alegre,  et  d’Ererd  et  mesure  leurs  sommets  les 
plus  Aleves. 

L’etude  de  la  formation  de  la  vallee  de  l’Amazone 
m’a  naturellement  occupe,  bien  que  secondairement,  des 
le  premier  jour  que  je  l’ai  abordee. 

Mais  il  est  temps  que  je  finisse  cette  longue  dpitre  en 
demandant  pardon  a Yotre  Majestd  d’avoir  mis  sa  pa- 
tience a une  aussi  rude  dpreuve. 

De  Yotre  Majestd  le  serviteur  le  plus  devoud  et  le  plus 
affectueux, 

L.  Agassiz."' 

* Par  A,  February  23, 1866. 

Sire  : — On  arriving  at  Para  in  the  beginning  of  this  month,  I had  the 
pleasure  to  find  your  Majesty’s  kind  letter,  which  had  been  awaiting  me  for 
several  days.  I ought  to  have  acknowledged  it  immediately,  but  I was  not  in 
a condition  to  do  so,  being  overcome  by  fatigue.  It  is  only  during  the  last 


382 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


February  — Para,  Nazareth.  Our  time  has  passed 
so  quietly  here  that  it  gives  me  nothing  to  record.  Mr. 
'Agassiz  has  found  himself  in  such  absolute  need  of  rest, 
after  having  arranged  and  put  in  order  for  transportation  to 

two  or  three  days  that  I begin  once  more  to  occupy  myself  as  usual.  I con- 
fess that  nothing  but  the  presentiment  of  regrets  which  would  have  pursued 
me  to  the  end  of  my  days  has  prevented  me  from  returning  directly  to  the 
United  States.  Even  now  I find  it  difficult  to  take  up  the  most  simple  oc- 
cupations. And  yet  I am  not  ill ; I am  only  exhausted  by  incessant  work, 
and  by  the  contemplation,  each  day  more  vivid  and  impressive,  of  the  grandeur 
and  beauty  of  this  tropical  nature.  I need  to  look  for  a time  upon  the  sombre 
and  monotonous  aspect  of  a pine  forest. 

How  good  you  are,  Sire,  to  think  of  me  in  the  midst  of  the  vital  affairs 
which  absorb  your  attention,  and  how  considerate  are  your  acts ! The  New 
Year’s  present  you  announce  enchants  me.*  ’ The  prospect  of  being  able 
to  add  some  comparisons  of  the  fishes  from  the  basin  of  the  Uruguay  to  such 
as  I have  already  made  between  the  Amazonian  species  and  those  of  the  rivers 
on  the  eastern  coast  of  Brazil  has  a special  attraction  for  me.  It  will  be  the 
first  step  towards  a knowledge  of  the  types  of  the  temperate  zone  in  South 
America.  I wait  with  increasing  impatience  for  the  moment  when  I shall  be 
able  to  examine  them.  In  the  mean  while  allow  me  to  give  yon  a rapid 
sketch  of  the  results  thus  far  obtained  in  my  voyage  on  the  Amazons. 

I will  not  return  to  the  surprising  variety  of  species  of  fishes  contained  in 
this  basin,  though  it  is  very  difficult  for  me  to  familiarize  myself  with  the 
idea  that  the  Amazons  nourishes  nearly  twice  as  many  species  as  the  Med- 
iterranean, and  a larger  number  than  the  Atlantic,  taken  from  one  pole  to 
the  other.  I can  no  longer  say,  however,  with  precision,  what  is  the  exact 
number  of  species  which  we  have  procured  from  the  Amazons,  because,  on 
retracing  my  steps  as  I descended  the  great  river,  I have  seen  fishes  about 
to  lay  their  eggs  which  I had  seen  at  first  under  other  conditions,  and  vice 
versa ; and  without  consulting  the  collections  made  six  months  ago,  and  which 
are  not  now  accessible  to  me,  it  is  often  impossible  for  me  to  determine  from 
memory  whether  they  are  the  same  species,  or  different  ones  which  escaped 
my  observation  in  my  first  examination.  However,  I estimate  the  total 
number  of  species  which  I actually  possess  at  eighteen  hundred,  and  it  may  be 

* The  Emperor  had  written  to  Mr.  Agassiz  that,  during  the  time  when  he 
took  command  of  the  Brazilian  army  on  the  Rio  Grande,  he  had  caused  col- 
lections of  fishes  to  be  made  for  him  from  several  of  the  southern  rivers. 


EXCURSIONS  ON  THE  COAST. 


383 


the  United  States  the  collections  accumulated,  that  our  in- 
tended trip  to  the  island  of  Marajo  has  been  postponed  day 
after  day.  Yesterday  I witnessed  a religious  procession  in 

two  thousand  * But  it  is  not  only  the  number  of  species  which  will  astonish 
naturalists  ; the  fact  that  they  are  for  the  most  part  circumscribed  within 
definite  limits  is  still  more  surprising,  and  cannot  but  have  a direct  influence 
on  the  ideas  now  prevalent  respecting  the  origin  of  living  beings.  That  in  a 
river  like  the  Mississippi,  which  from  the  north  to  the  south  passes  successively 
through  cold,  temperate,  and  warm  zones,  — whose  waters  flow  sometimes  over 
one  geological  formation,  sometimes  over  another,  and  across  plains  covered 
at  the  north  by  an  almost  arctic  vegetation,  and  at  the  south  by  a sub-tropical 
flora,  — that  in  such  a basin  aquatic  animals  of  different  species  should  be  met 
at  various  points  of  its  course  is  easily  understood  by  those  who  are  ac- 
customed to  consider  general  conditions  of  existence,  and  of  climate  especially, 
as  the  first  cause  of  the  difference  between  animals  and  plants  inhabiting  sepa- 
rate localities.  But  that  from  Tabatinga  to  Para,  in  a river  where  the  waters 
differ  neither  in  temperature  nor  in  the  nature  of  their  bed,  nor  in  the  vegeta- 
tion along  their  borders,  — that  under  such  circumstances  there  should  be  met, 
from  distance  to  distance,  assemblages  of  fishes  completely  distinct  from  each 
other,  is  indeed  astonishing.  I would  even  say  that  henceforth  this  distribution, 
which  may  be  verified  by  any  one  who  cares  to  take  the  trouble,  must  throw 
much  doubt  on  the  opinion  which  attributes  the  diversity  of  living  beings  to 
local  influences.  Another  side  of  this  subject,  still  more  curious  perhaps,  is  the 
intensity  with  which  life  is  manifested  in  these  waters.  All  the  rivers  of 
Europe  united,  from  the  Tagus  to  the  Volga,  do  not  nourish  one  hundred  and 
fifty  species  of  fresh-water  fishes  ; and  yet,  in  a little  lake  near  Manaos,  called 
Lago  Hyanuary,  the  surface  of  which  covers  hardly  four  or  five  hundred 
square  yards,  we  have  discovered  more  than  two  hundred  distinct  species,  the 
greater  part  of  which  have  not  been  observed  elsewhere.  What  a contrast ! 

The  study  of  the  mixture  of  human  races  in  this  region  has  also  occupied 
me  much,  and  I have  procured  numerous  photographs  of  all  the  types  which 
I have  been  able  to  observe.  The  principal  result  at  which  I have  arrived  is, 
that  the  races  bear  themselves  towards  each  other  as  do  distinct  species  ; that  is 
to  say,  that  the  hybrids,  which  spring  from  the  crossing  of  men  of  different 

* To-day  I cannot  give  a more  precise  account  of  the  final  result  of  my 
survey.  Though  all  my  collections  are  safely  stored  in  the  Museum,  every 
practical  zoologist  understands  that  a critical  examination  of  more  than  eighty 
thousand  specimens  cannot  be  made  in  less  than  several  years.  — L.  A. 


384 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Para,  — one  of  tlie  many  festas  said  to  be  gradually  dying 
out,  and  to  be  already  shorn  of  much  of  their  ancient  glory. 
It  represented  a scene  from  the  passion  of  Christ.  The 

races,  are  always  a mixture  of  the  two  primitive  types,  and  never  the  simple  re- 
production of  the  characters  of  one  or  the  other  progenitor,  as  is  the  case  among 
the  races  of  domestic  animals. 

I will  say  nothing  of  my  other  collections,  which  have  been  made  for  the 
most  part  by  my  young  companions,  rather  with  a view  to  enrich  our  Museum 
than  to  solve  scientific  questions.  But  I cannot  allow  this  occasion  to  pass 
without  expressing  my  lively  gratitude  for  all  the  facilities,  in  my  explorations, 
which  I have  owed  to  the  kindness  of  your  Majesty.  From  the  President  to 
the  most  humble  employes  of  the  provinces  I have  visited,  all  have  competed 
with  each  other  to  render  my  work  more  easy ; and  tho  steamship  company  of 
the  Amazons  has  shown  an  extreme  liberality  tbwards  me.  Finally,  Sire,  the 
generosity  with  which  you  have  placed  at  my  disposition  a vessel  of  war  has 
allowed  me  to  make  collections  which,  with  less  ample  and  rapid  means  of  trans- 
port, must  have  remained  utterly  inaccessible  to  me.  Permit  me  to  add,  that, 
of  all  the  favors  with  which  your  Majesty  has  crowned  this  voyage,  the  most 
precious  has  been  the  presence  of  Major  Coutinho,  whose  familiarity  with  all 
which  concerns  the  Amazons  has  been  an  inexhaustible  source  of  important  in- 
formation and  of  useful  directions  ; by  means  of  which  tho  loss  of  ti  me  in  unre- 
munerative  excursions  has  been  avoided.  His  co-operation  during  this  journey 
has  been  most  laborious;  he  has  applied  himself  to  zoology  as  if  the  physical 
sciences  had  not  hitherto  been  the  special  object  of  his  study,  while  at  the 
same  time  he  has  made  numerous  thermometric,  barometric,  and  astronomical 
observations,  which  will  furnish  important  additions  to  what  is  already  known 
concerning  the  meteorology  and  topography  of  these  provinces.  We  have,  for 
instance,  been  the  first  to  carry  the  barometer  into  the  midst  of  the  hills  of  Al- 
meyrim,  of  Monte  Alegre  and  Erere,  and  to  measure  their  highest  summits. 
The  study  of  the  formation  of  the  valley  of  the  Amazons  has  naturally  occu- 
pied me,  though  in  a secondary  degree,  from  the  first  day  of  my  arrival.* 

But  it  is  time  that  I should  close  this  long  letter,  begging  your  Majesty  to 
pardon  me  for  putting  your  patience  to  so  hard  a trial. 

Your  Majesty’s  most  humble  and  most  affectionate  servant, 

L.  Agassiz. 

* The  rest  of  this  letter  is  omitted,  as  its  substance  is  contained  in  Chapter 
XIII.,  on  the  Physical  History  of  the  Amazons. 


EXCURSIONS  ON  THE  COAST. 


835 


life-size  figure  of  the  Saviour,  sinking  under  the  cross,  is 
borne  on  a platform  through  the  streets.  Little  girls, 
dressed  as  angels,  walk  before  it,  and  it  is  accompanied  by 
numerous  dignitaries  of  the  Church.  Altars  are  illumi- 
nated in  the  different  churches.;  the  populace,  even  down 
to  the  children,  are  dressed  in  black ; and  the  balconies  of 
every  house  filled  with  figures  in  mourning,  waiting  for  the 
sad  procession  to  pass  by. 

February  28 th.  — Off  Marajo,  in  the  steamer  Tabatinga. 
All  great  rivers,  as  the  Nile,  the  Mississippi,  the  Ganges,  the 
Danube,  have  their  deltas  ; but  the  largest  river  in  the 
world,  the  Amazons,  is  .an  exception  to  this  rule.  What, 
then,  is  the  geological  character  of  the  great  island  which 
obstructs  its  opening  into  the  ocean  ? This  is  the  question 
which  has  made  a visit  to  Marajo  of  special  interest  to  Mr. 
Agassiz.  Leaving  Para  at  midnight,  we  reached  the  little 
town  of  Soures  early  this  morning.  It  is  a village  lying  on 
the  southeastern  side  of  the  island,  and  so  far  seaward  that, 
in  the  dry  season,  when  the  diminished  current  of  the  Ama- 
zonian waters  is  overborne  by  the  tides,  the  water  is  salt 
enough  to  afford  excellent  sea-bathing,  and  is  resorted  to  for 
that  purpose  by  many  families  from  Para.  At  this  moment, 
however,  the  water  has  not  even  a brackish  character.  The 
only  building  of  any  interest  in  the  town  is  the  old  Jesuit 
church,  a remnant  of  the  earliest  chapter  in  the  civilization 
of  South  America.  However  tinged  with  ambition  and  a 
love  of  temporal  power,  the  work  of  the  Jesuits  in  Brazil 
tended  toward  the  establishment  of  an  organized  system  of 
labor,  which  one  cannot  but  wish  had  been  continued.  All 
that  remains  of  the  Jesuit  missions  goes  to  prove  that  they 
were  centres  of  industry.  These  men  contrived  to  impart, 
even  to  the  wandering  Indian,  some  faint  reflection  of  their 
17 


T 


386 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


.own  persistency  and  steadfastness  of  purpose.  Farms  were 
connected  with  all  the  Indian  missions ; under  the  direction 
of  the  fathers,  the  Indians  learned  something  of  agriculture, 
which  the  Jesuits  readily  saw  to  be  one  of  the  great  civiliz- 
ing influences  in  a country  so  fertile.  They  introduced  a 
variety  of  vegetables  and  grains,  and  had  herds  of  cattle 
where  cattle  now  are  hardly  known.  Humboldt,  speaking 
of  the  destruction  of  the  Jesuit  missions,  says,  in  reference 
to  the  Indians  of  Atures,  on  the  Orinoco  : “ Formerly,  being 
excited  to  labor  by  the  Jesuits,  they  did  not  want  for  food. 
The  fathers  cultivated  maize,  French  beans,  and  other  Euro- 
pean vegetables.  They  even  planted  sweet  oranges  and 
tamarinds  round  the  villages ; and  they  possessed  twenty 
or  thirty  thousand  head  of  cows  and  horses  in  the  savan- 
nas of  Atures  and  Carichana Since  the  year  1795, 

the  cattle  of  the  Jesuits  have  entirely  disappeared.  There 
now  remain  as  monuments  of  the  ancient  cultivation  of 
these  countries,  and  the  active  industry  of  the  first  mission- 
aries, only  a few  trunks  of  the  orange  and  tamarind  in  the 
savannas,  surrounded  by  wild  trees.”  * 

Our  walk  through  the  little  village  of  Soures  brought  us 
to  the  low  cliffs  on  the  shore,  which  we  had  already  seen 
from  the  steamer.  The  same  formations  prevail  all  along 
the  coast  of  this  island  that  we  have  found  everywhere  on 
the  banks  of  the  Amazons.  Lowest,  a well-stratified,  rather 
coarse  sandstone,  immediately  above  which,  and  conform- 
able with  it,  are  finely  laminated  clays,  covered  by  a crust. 
Upon  this  lies  the  highly  ferruginous  sandstone,  in  which 
an  irregular  cross  stratification  frequently  alternates  with 
the  regular  beds  ; above  this,  following  all  the  undulations 

* Humboldt’s  Personal  Narrative,  Bohn’s  Scientific  Library,  Vol.  II.  Chap. 
XX.  p.  267. 


EXCURSIONS  ON  THE  COAST. 


387 


of  its  surface,  is  the  well-known  reddish  sandy  clay,  with 
quartz  pebbles  scattered  through  its  mass,  and  only  here 
and  there  faint  traces  of  an  indistinct  stratification.  This 
afternoon  Mr.  Agassiz  has  been  again  on  shore,  examining 
the  formation  of  both  banks  of  the  Igarap6  Grande,  the 
river  at  the  mouth  of  which  stands  the  town  of  Souris. 
He  has  returned  delighted  with  the  result  of  his  day’s 
work,  having  not  only  obtained  the  most  complete  evidence 
that  the  geological  formation  of  Marajo  corresponds  ex- 
actly with  that  of  the  Amazonian  Valley,  but  having  also 
obtained  some  very  important  data  with  respect  to  the 
• present  encroachments  of  the  sea  upon  the  shore.  He 
found  upon  the  beach,  partially  covered  by  sea-sand,  the 
remains  of  a forest  which  evidently  grew  in  a peat-bog,  and 
which  the  ocean  is  gradually  laying  bare. 

February  2§th.  — Early  this  morning  we  crossed  the  Par& 
River,  and  anchored  at  the  entrance  of  the  bay  within  which 
stands  the  town  of  Vigia.  We  landed,  and  while  the  boat- 
men were  dragging  the  net,  we  wandered  along  the  beach, 
which  is  bordered  by  thick  forest,  now  full  of  flowers.  Here 
we  found  the  same  geological  formations  as  on  the  Marajo 
shore,  and  on  the  beach  the  counterpart  of  the  ancient  for- 
est which  Mr.  Agassiz  unearthed  yesterday  on  the  opposite 
coast.  There  can  hardly  be  more  convincing  evidence  that 
the  rivers  which  empty  into  the  Amazons  near  its  mouth, 
like  all  those  higher  up,  as  well  as  the  main  stream  itself, 
have  cut  their  way  through  identical  formations,  which 
were  once  continuous.  Evidently  these  remains  of  forests 
on  the  beaches  of  Vigia  Bay  and  at  the  mouth  of  the  Iga- 
rap6  Grande  are  parts  of  one  forest,  formerly  uninterrupted 
and  covering  the  whole  of  the  intervening  space  now  filled 
by  the*  so-called  Par&  River.  We  followed  the  beach  to  the 


388 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


entrance  of  an  igarape,  which  here  opens  into  the  river,  and 
which  looked  most  tempting  with  the  morning  shadows 
darkening  its  cool  recesses.  As  the  boatmen  had  not  been 
very  successful  in  fishing,  I proposed  we  should  put  their 
services  to  better  use  and  row  up  this  inviting  stream.  To 
this  day,  though  I have  become  accustomed  to  these  forest 
water-paths  and  have  had  so  many  excursions  in  them, 
they  have  lost  none  of  their  charm.  I never  see  one  without 
longing  to  follow  its  picturesque  windings  into  the  depths 
of  the  wood  ; and  to  me  the  igarape  remains  the  most 
beautiful  and  the  most  characteristic  feature  of  the  Ama- 
zonian scenery.  This  one  of  Vigia  was  especially  pretty.  • | 
Clumps  of  the  light,  exquisitely  graceful  Assai  palm  shot 
up  everywhere  from  the  denser  forest ; here  and  there 
the  drooping  bamboo,  never  seen  in  the  higher  Amazons, 
dipped  its  feathery  branches  into  the  water,  covered  some- 
times to  their  very  tips  with  purple  bloom  of  convolvulus ; 
yellow  Bignonias  carried  their  golden  clusters  to  the  very 
summits  of  some  of  the  more  lofty  trees ; while  white- 
flowering myrtles  and  orange-colored  mallows  bordered  the 
stream.  Life  abounded  in  this  quiet  retreat.  Birds  and 
butterflies  were  numerous ; and  we  saw  an  immense  num- 
ber of  crabs  of  every  variety  of  color  and  size  upon  the 
margin  of  the  water.  However,  it  was  not  so  easy  to  catch 
them  as  it  seemed.  They  would  sit  quietly  on  the  trunks 
of  all  the  old  trees  or  decaying  logs  projecting  from  the 
bank,  apparently  waiting  to  be  taken  ; but  the  moment 
we  approached  them,  however  cautiously,  they  vanished 
like  lightning  either  under  the  water  or  into  some  crevice 
near  by.  Notwithstanding  their  nimbleness,  however,  Mr. 
Agassiz  succeeded  in  making  a considerable  collection. 

We  saw  also  an  immense  army  of  caterpillars,  evidently  fol- 


EXCURSIONS  ON  THE  COAST. 


389 


lowing  some  concerted  plan  of  action.  They  were  descend- 
ing the  trunk  of  a large  tree  in  a solid  phalanx  about  two 
handbreadtlis  in  width,  and  six  or  eight  feet  in  length; 
no  doubt  coming  down  to  make  tlieir- chrysalids  in  the  sand. 
We  returned  to  the  steamer  at  ten  o’clock ; and,  after  break- 
fast, finding  our  anchorage-ground  somewhat  rough  as  the 
tide  came  in,  we  went  a little  higher  up,  and  entered  the 
Bahia  do  Sul.  Here  again  we  went  on  shore  to  see  the 
net  drawn,  this  time  more  successfully.  We  should  have 
had  a delightful  walk  on  the  beach  again,  had  it  not  been 
for  hosts  of  minute  flies  which  hovered  about  us,  and  had 
a power  of  stinging  quite  disproportionate  to  their  size.  On 
returning  we  met  with  an  unforeseen  difficulty.  The  tide 
had  been  falling  during  our  walk,  and  the  canoe  could 
not  approach  the  heacli  within  several  yards.  The  gentle- 
men plunged  in,  and  walked  out  over  knees  in  water; 
while  the  boatmen  made  a chair  of  their  arms  and  carried 
me  through  the  surf. 

March  5th.  — Our  excursion  in  the  harbor  closed  with 
a visit  to  the  small  island  of  Tatuatuba,  distant  about 
six  miles  from  Par&.  In  order  to  examine  the  shores,  we 
made  the  circuit  of  the  island  on  foot.  Here  again  the 
same  geological  structure  presented  itself ; and  there  was 
one  spot  in  particular  where  the  sharp,  vertical  cut  of  the 
bank  facing  the  beach  presented  an  admirable  section  of  the 
formations  so  characteristic  of  the  Amazonian  V alley ; . 
the  red,  sandy  clay  of  the  upper  deposit  filling  in  all  the 
undulations  and  inequalities  of  the  sandstone  below,  the 
surface  of  which  was  remarkably  irregular.  The  sea  is 
making  great  encroachments  on  the  shore  of  this  island. 
Senhor  Figueiredo,  who  lives  here  with  his  family  and  by 
whomr  we  were  received  with  much  hospitality,  told  us  that 


890 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


during  the  last  eighteen  or  twenty  years,  the  beach  had  re- 
ceded considerably  in  some  places  ; the  high-water  line  being 
many  yards  beyond  its  former  limit.  The  result  of  this  ex- 
cursion has  shown  that,  with  the  exception  of  some  low  mud- 
islands  nearly  level  with  the  water,  all  the  harbor  islands 
lying  in  the  mouth  of  the  Amazons  are,  geologically 
speaking,  parts  of  the  Amazonian  Yalley,  having  the  same 
structure.  They  were,  no  doubt,  formerly  continuous 
with  the  shore,  but  are  separated  now,  partly  by  the  fresh 
waters  cutting  their  way  through  the  land  to  the  ocean, 
partly  by  the  progress  of  the  sea  itself. 

March  24 th.  — Our  quiet  life  at  Nazareth,  though  full  of 
enjoyment  for  tired  travellers,  affords  little  material  for  a 
journal.  A second  excursion  along  the  coast  has  furnished 
Mr.  Agassiz  with  new  evidence  of  the  rapid  changes  in  the 
outline  of  the  shore,  produced  by  the  encroachment  of  the 
sea.  So  fast  is  this  going  on  that  some  of  the  public  works 
near  the  coast  are  already  endangered  by  the  advance  of 
the  ocean  upon  the  land.  During  the  past  week  he  has 
been  especially  occupied  in  directing  the  work  of  a photo- 
graphist employed  by  Senhor  Pimenta  Bueno,  who,  with  his 
usual  liberality  towards  the  scientific  objects  of  the  expedi- 
tion, is  collecting  in  this  way  the  portraits  of  some  remark- 
able palms  and  other  trees  about  his  house  and  grounds. 
One  of  the  most  striking  is  a huge  Sumaumdra,  with  but- 
tressed trunk.  These  buttresses  start  at  a distance  of  about 
eight  or  ten  feet  from  the  ground,  spreading  gradually  to- 
ward the  base ; they  are  from  ten  to  twelve  feet  in  depth. 
The  lower  part  of  the  trunk  is  thus  divided  into  open  com- 
partments, sometimes  so  large  that  two  or  three  persons  can 
stand  within  them.  This  disposition  to  throw  out  flanks  or 
wings  is  not  confined  to  one  kind  of  tree,  but  occurs  in 


EXCUKSIONS  ON  THE  COAST. 


391 


many  families ; it  seems,  indeed,  a characteristic  feature  of 
forest  vegetation  here.  Occasionally  the  buttresses  partially 
separate  from  the  main  trunk,  remaining  attached  to  it  only 
at  the  point  from  which  they  start,  so  that  they  look  like 


Buttressed  Tree  (Eriodendrum  Sumauma). 


distinct  supports  propping  the  tree.  I copy  here  an  ex- 
tract from  Mr.  Agassiz’s  notes  upon  the  vegetation  of  the 
Amazons,  in  which  allusion  is  made  to  the  Sumaumdra. 

“ Any  one  coming  from  the  North  to  the  Tropics,  if  he 
has  been  in  the  habit  of  observing  the  vegetation  about 


392 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


him,  even  without  having  made  botany  a special  study, 
is,  in  a measure,  prepared  to  appreciate  the  resemblances 
and  the  differences  between  plants  of  the  tropical  and 
those  of  the  temperate  regions.  An  acquaintance  with 
the  Robinia  (Locust-trees),  for  instance,  or  with  the  large 
shrub-like  Lotus,  and  other  woody  Leguminosae,  will  en- 
able him  to  recognize  the  numerous  representatives  of 
that  family,  forming  so  large  a part  of  the  equatorial 
vegetation  ; and,  even  should  he  never  have  seen  speci- 
mens of  the  Mimosa  in  gardens  or  hot-houses,  their  deli- 
cate, susceptible  foliage  will  make  them  known  to  him  ; 
he  cannot  fail  to  be  struck  with  the  inexhaustible  com 
binations  and  forms  of  their  pinnate  leaves,  as  well  as  with 
the  variety  in  their  tints  of  green,  the  diversity  in  their 
clusters  of  leaves  and  in  their  pods  and  seeds.  But  there 
are  families  with  which  he  fancies  himself  equally  familiar, 
the  tropical  representatives  of  which  will  never  seem  to  him 
like  old  acquaintances.  Thus  the  tree  which  furnishes  the 
Indian  rubber  belongs  to  the  Milk-weed  family.  Every 
one  knows  the  Milk-weeds  of  the  North,  to  be  seen,  as 
humble  herbs,  all  along  the  roadsides,  on  the  edges  of 
our  woods  and  in  the  sands  of  our  beaches.  Yet  on  the 
Amazons,  the  Euphorbiaceae,  so  small  and  unobtrusive  with 
us,  assume  the  form  of  colossal  trees,  constituting  a con- 
siderable part  of  its  strange  and  luxuriant  forest-growth. 
The  giant  of  the  Amazonian  woods,  whose  majestic  flat 
crown  towers  over  all  other  trees,  while  its  white  trunk 
stands  out  in  striking  relief  from  the  surrounding  mass 
of  green  (the  Sumaumdra),  is  allied  to  our  mallows. 
Some  of  the  most  characteristic  trees  of  the  river-shore 
belong  to  these  two  families.  Our  paleontologists  who 
attempt  to  restore  the  forests  of  older  geological  times 


EXCURSIONS  ON  THE  COAST. 


393 


should  keep  in  mind  this  fact  of  the  striking  contrasts 
presented  under  different  latitudes  by  the  same  families. 
Of  course  the  equatorial  regions  teem  with  plants  and 
trees  belonging  to  families  either  entirely  unknown  or 
but  poorly  represented  in  more  temperate  latitudes  ; and 
these  distinct  groups  naturally  arrest  the  attention  if  the 
botanist,  and  perhaps  awaken  his  interest  more  than  those 
with  which  he  is  already  familiar  under  other  forms. 
But,  while  these  different  families  are  recognized  as  dis- 
tinct, and  no  doubt  deserve  to  be  considered  by  them- 
selves as  natural  groups,  I believe  that  much  might  be 
learned  of  the  deeper  relations  of  plants  by  studying, 
not  only  the  representatives  of  the  same  families  in  dif- 
ferent latitudes,  such  as  the  Mimosas  and  the  Milk- weeds, 
but  also  what  I may  call  botanical  equivalents,  — groups 
which  balance  each  other  in  the  different  climatic  zones. 
This  idea  is  suggested  to  me  by  my  zoological  studies  in 
the  Amazons,  which  have  led  me  to  perceive  new  relations 
between  the  animals  of  the  temperate  and  the  tropical  zone : 
it  seems  probable  that  corresponding  relations  should  ex- 
ist in  the  vegetable  world  also.  Struck,  for  instance,  by 
the  total  absence  of  sturgeons,  perches,  pickerels,  trouts, 
carps  and  other  white  fishes,  cusks,  sculpins,  Ac.,  I have 
asked  myself,  while  studying  the  fishes  of  the  Amazons, 
what  analogy  could  exist  between  those  of  our  Western 
rivers  and  those  of  the  tropics,  as  well  as  between  the 
latter  and  those  of  the  intermediate  latitudes.  Looking 
at  them  with  this  view,  I have  been  surprised  to  find 
how  closely  related  the  Goniodonts  are  to  the  Sturgeons ; 
so  much  so,  that  the  Loricariae  may  be  considered  as  gen- 
uine Sturgeons,  with  more  extensive  shields  upon  the  body. 
I am  satisfied  also  that  the  Cyclila  is  a perch  to  all  intents 


394 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


and  purposes,  that  the  Acaras  are  Sunfislies,  the  Xipho- 
rhamphus  (Pira  pucu)  Pickerels,  and  the  Curimatas  genuine 
Carps.  Now,  may  not  a similar  relation  exist  between 
the  families  of  plants  belonging  to  the  North  and  those 
forming  the  most  prominent  vegetation  of  the  South  ? 
What  are  the  tropical  trees  which  take  the  place  of  our 
elms,  maples,  lindens  ? By  what  families  are  our  oaks, 
chestnuts,  willows,  poplars,  represented  under  the  burning 
sun  of  the  equinoctial  regions  ? The  Rosaceae  in  the  tem- 
perate and  the  Myrtaceae  in  the  tropical  regions  seem  to 
me  such  botanical  equivalents.  The  family  of  Rosaceae 
gives  to  the  North  its  pears,  its  apples,  its  peaches,  its 
cherries,  its  plums,  its  almonds ; in  short, ' all  the  most 
delicious  fruits  of  the  Old  World,  as  well  as  its  most  beauti- 
ful flowers.  The  trees  of  this  family,  by  their  foliage,  play 
a distinguished  part  in  the  vegetation  of  the  temperate  zone, 
and  impart  to  it  a character  of  their  own.  The  Myrtaceae 
give  to  the  South  its  guavas,  its  pitangas,  its  ara§as,  the 
juicy  plum-like  fruit  of  the  swamp-myrtles,  many  of  its 
nuts,  and  other  excellent  fruits.  This  family,  including 
the  Melastomaceae,  abounds  in  flowering  shrubs,  like  the 
purple  Queresma  and  many  others  not  less  beautiful ; 
and  some  of  its  representatives,  such  as  the  Sapucaia  and 
the  Brazilian  nut-tree,  rise  to  the  height  of  towering  trees. 
Both  of  these  families  sink  to  insignificance  in  the  one 
zone,  while  they  assume  a dignified  port  and  perform  an 
important  part  in  the  other.  If  this  investigation  be  ex- 
tended to  the  shrubs  and  humbler  plants,  I believe  the 
botanist  who  undertakes  it  will  reap  a rich  harvest.” 

The  day  after  to-morrow  we  leave  Pard  in  the  Santa  Cruz 
for  Ceard.  It  will  be  like  leaving  a sort  of  home  to  say  good 
by  to  our  kind  friends  in  the  Rua  de  Nazareth.  We  have 


EXCURSIONS  ON  THE  COAST. 


895 


become  attached  to  this  neighborhood  also  from  its  beauty. 
The  wide  street,  bordered  for  two  or  three  miles  with 
mangueiras,  leads  into  the  wooded  country,  where  many  a 
narrow  green  path  in  the  forest  tempts  one  to  long  rambles. 
One  of  these  paths  has  been  a favorite  walk  of  mine  on  ac- 
count of  the  beauty  and  luxuriance  of  the  vegetation,  mak- 
ing some  parts  of  it  shady  even  at  noonday.  I have  often 
followed  it  for  two  or  three  miles  in  the  early  morning,  be- 
tween six  and  eight  o’clock,  when  the  verdant  walls  on 
either  side  are  still  fresh  and  dewy.  Beautiful  as  it  is,  it 
leads  to  one  of  the  saddest  of  all  abodes.  For  a long  time  I 
could  not  understand  why  this  lane  was  always  in  such 
good  condition,  the  heavy  rains  making  unfrequented  forest- 
paths  almost  impassable  in  the  wet  season.  I found  on  in- 
quiry that  it  led  to  a hospital  for  lepers,  and  was  kept  in 
good  repair  because  the  various  stores  and  supplies  for  the 
hospital  were  constantly  carried  over  it.  The  prevalence  of 
j leprosy  has  made  it  necessary  to  provide  separate  establish- 
ments for  its  victims  ; and  both  at  Pard  and  Santarem,  where 
it  is  still  more  common,  there  are  hospitals  devoted  exclu- 
sively to  this  purpose.  This  terrible  disease  is  not  confined 
wholly  to  the  lower  classes,  and  where  it  occurs  in  families 
whose  circumstances  are  good  the  invalid  is  often  kept  at 
home  under  the  care  of  his  own  friends.  Bates  states  that 
leprosy  is  supposed  to  be  incurable,  and  also  adds  that,  dur- 
ing his  eleven  years’  residence  on  the  Amazons,  he  has  never 
known  a foreigner  to  be  attacked  by  it.  We  have,  however, 
been  told  by  a very  intelligent  German  physician  in  Bio  de 
Janeiro,  that  he  has  known  several  cases  of  it  among  his 
own  countrymen  there,  and  has  been  so  fortunate  as  to 
effect  permanent  cures  in  some  instances.  He  says  it  is  a 
mistake  to  suppose  that  it  does  not  yield  to  treatment  when 


396 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


taken  in  time,  and  the  statistics  of  the  disease  show  that, 
where  there  are  good  physicians,  it  is  found  to  be  gradually 
disappearing. 

We  must  not  leave  Para  without  alluding  to  our  evening 
concerts  from  the  adjoining  woods  and  swamps.  When  I first 
heard  this  strange  confusion  of  sounds,  I thought  it  came 
from  a crowd  of  men  shouting  loudly,  though  at  a little  dis- 
tance. To  my  surprise,  I found  that  the  rioters  were  the 
frogs  and  toads  in  the  neighborhood.  I hardly  know  how  to 
describe  this  Babel  of  woodland  noises ; and  if  I could  do  it 
justice,  I am  afraid  my  account  would  hardly  be  believed. 
At  moments  it  seems  like  the  barking  of  dogs,  then  like  the 
calling  of  many  voices  on  different  keys,  but  all  loud,  rapid, 
excited,  full  of  emphasis  and  variety.  I think  these  frogs, 
like  ours,  must  be  silent  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year ; for, 
on  our  first  visit  to  Para,  we  were  not  struck  by  this  singu- 
lar music,  with  which  the  woods  now  resound  at  nightfall. 


Note. — Before  leaving  the  Amazons,  I wish  to  acknowledge  attentions 
received  from  several  friends,  whose  names  do  not  appear  in  the  narrative. 

To  Senhor  Danin,  Chef  de  Police  at  Para,  I was  indebted  for  valuable  In- 
dian curiosities,  and  for  specimens  of  other  kinds  ; to  Doctor  Malcher  for  a 
collection  of  birds ; to  Senhor  Penna  for  important  additions  to  my  collection 
of  fishes  ; to  Senhor  Laitao  da  Cunha  for  aid  in  collecting,  and  for  many  intro- 
ductions to  persons  of  influence  along  our  route ; and  to  Mr.  Kaulfuss,  a Ger- 
man resident  at  Para,  for  fossils  from  the  Andes. 

I have  to  thank  Mr.  James  Bond,  United  States  Consul  at  Para,  for  unwea- 
ried efforts  in  my  behalf  during  the  whole  time  of  my  stay  in  the  Amazons.  He 
supplied  me  with  alcohol ; received  the  collections  on  their  arrival  at  Para ; ex- 
amined the  cases  and  barrels,  causing  those  which  were  defective  to  be  repaired, 
that  they  might  reach  their  destination  in  safety,  and  finally  despatched  them  to 
the  United  States,  free  of  charge,  on  board  sailing-vessels  in  which  he  had  an 
interest.  We  owe  it  in  great  degree  to  him  that  our  immense  Amazonian  col- 
lections arrived  in  Cambridge  in  good  condition,  suffering  little  loss  or  injury 
in  the  process  of  transportation.  — L.  A. 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


397 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


Drift  about  Rio  de  Janeiro.  — Decomposition  of  underlying  Rock. — 
Different  Aspect  of  Glacial  Phenomena  in  different  Continents. — 
Fertility  of  the  Drift.  — Geological  Observations  of  Messrs.  Hartt 
and  St.  John.  — Correspondence  of  Deposits  along  the  Coast  with 
those  of  Rio  and  those  of  the  Valley  of  the  Amazons.  — Primitive 
Formation  of  the  Valley.  — First  known  Chapter  of  its  History. — 
Cretaceous  Fossil  Fishes.  — Former  Extent  of  the  South- American 
Coast.  — Cretaceous  Fossils  from  the  Rio  Purus.  — Comparison  be- 
tween North  and  South  America.  — Geological  Formations  along 
the  Banks  of  the  Amazons.  — Fossil  Leaves.  — Clays  and  Sand- 
stones. — Hills  of  Almeyrim.  — Monte  Alegre.  — Situation  and  Scen- 
ery. — Serra  Erer:6.  — Comparison  with  Swiss  Scenery.  — Boulders  of 
Erer£.  — Ancient  Thickness  of  Amazonian  Deposits.  — Difference 
between  Drift  of  the  Amazons  and  that  of  Rio.  — Inferences  drawn 

FROM  THE  PRESENT  CONDITION  OF  THE  DEPOSITS.  — IMMENSE  EXTENT  OF 
Sandstone  Formation.  — Nature  and  Origin  of  these  Deposits.  — Re- 
ferred to  the  Ice-Period.  — Absence  of  Glacial  Marks.  — Glacial 
Evidence  of  another  Kind.  — Changes  in  the  Outline  of  the  South- 
American  Coast.  — Soure.  — Igarape  Grande.  — Vigia.  — Bay  of  Bra- 
ganza.  — Anticipation. 

A few  days  before  we  left  Par&,  Senhor  Pimenta  Bueno 
invited  his  friends  and.  acquaintances,  who  had  expressed 
a wish  to  hear  Mr.  Agassiz’s  views  on  the  geological  char- 
acter of  the  Amazonian  Valley,  to  meet  at  his  house  in 
the  evening  for  that  purpose.  The  guests  were  some  two 
hundred  in  number,  and  the  whole  affair  was  very  uncere- 
monious, assuming  rather  the  character  of  a meeting  for 
conversation  or  discussion  than  that  of  an  audience  col- 
lected to  hear  a studied  address.  The  substance  of  this 
talk  or  lecture,  as  subsequently  written  out  by  Mr.  Agassiz, 
afterward  appeared  in  the  Atlantic  Monthly,  and  is  in- 
serted here,  with  some  few  alterations  under  the  head 


398 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


of  a separate  chapter.  The  reader  will  find  occasional 
repetitions  of  facts  already  stated  in  the  earlier  part  of 
the  narrative  ; but  they  are  retained  for  the  sake  of  giv- 
ing a complete  and  consistent  review  of  the  subject  at 
this  point  of  our  journey,  where  it  became  possible  to 
compare  the  geological  structure  of  the  Amazonian  Tal- 
ley with  that  of  the  southern  provinces  of  Brazil  and  of 
those  bordering  on  the  Atlantic  coast. 


The  existence  of  a glacial  period,  however  much  derided 
when  first  announced,  is  now  a recognized  fact.  The 
divergence  of  opinion  respecting  it  is  limited  to  a ques- 
tion of  extent ; and  after  my  recent  journey  in  the  Ama- 
zons, I am  led  to  add  a new  chapter  to  the  strange  history 
of  glacial  phenomena,  taken  from  the  southern  hemisphere, 
and  even  from  the  tropics  themselves. 

I am  prepared  to  find  that  the  statement  of  this  new 
phase  of  the  glacial  period  will  awaken  among  my  scien- 
tific colleagues  an  opposition  even  more  violent  than 
that  by  which  the  first  announcement  of  my  views  on 
this  subject  was  met.  I am,  however,  willing  to  bide  my 
time  ; feeling  sure  that,  as  the  theory  of  the  ancient  ex- 
tension of  glaciers  in  Europe  has  gradually  come  to  be 
accepted  by  geologists,  so  will  the  existence  of  like  phe- 
nomena, both  in  North  and  South  America,  during  the 
same  epoch,  be  recognized  sooner  or  later  as  part  of  a 
great  series  of  physical  events  extending  over  the  whole 
globe.  Indeed,  when  the  ice-period  is  fully  understood, 
it  will  be  seen  that  the  absurdity  lies  in  supposing  that 
climatic  conditions  so  different  could  be  limited  to  a small 
portion  of  the  world’s  surface.  If  the  geological  winter 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


399 


existed  at  all,  it  must  have  been  cosmic ; and  it  is  quite 
as  rational  to  look  for  its  traces  in  the  Western  as  in  the 
Eastern  hemisphere,  to  the  south  of  the  equator  as  to  the 
north  of  it.  Impressed  by  this  wider  view  of  the  subject, 
confirmed  by  a number  of  unpublished  investigations 
which  I have  made  during  the  last  three  or  four  years 
in  the  United  States,  I came  to  South  America,  expect- 
ing to  find  in  the  tropical  regions  new  evidences  of  a 
bygone  glacial  period,  though,  of  course,  under  different 
aspects.  Such  a result  seemed  to  me  the  logical  se- 
quence of  what  I had  already  observed  in  Europe  and  in 
North  America. 

On  mv  arrival  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  — the  port  at  which 
I first  landed  in  Brazil,  — my  attention  was  immediately 
attracted  by  a very  peculiar  formation  consisting  of  an 
ochraceous,  highly  ferruginous,  sandy  clay.  During  a stay  of 
three  months  in  Rio,  whence  I made  many  excursions  into 
the  neighboring  country,  I had  opportunities  of  studying 
this  deposit,  both  in  the  province  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  and  in 
the  adjoining  province  of  Minas  Geraes.  I found  that  it 
rested  everywhere  upon  the  undulating  surfaces  of  the 
solid  rocks  in  place,  was  almost  entirely  destitute  of  strat- 
ification, and  contained  a variety  of  pebbles  and  boul- 
ders. The  pebbles  were  chiefly  quartz,  sometimes  scat- 
tered indiscriminately  throughout  the  deposit,  sometimes 
lying  in  a seam  between  it  and  the  rock  below ; while 
the  boulders  were  either  sunk  in  its  mass,  or  resting  loose- 
ly on  the  surface.  At  Tijuca,  a few  miles  out  of  the  city 
of  Rio,  among  the  picturesque  hills  lying  to  the  south- 
west of  it,  these  phenomena  may  be  seen  in  great  per- 
fection. Near  Bennett’s  Hotel  there  are  a great  num- 
ber of  erratic  boulders,  having  no  connection  whatever 


400 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


with  the  rock  in  place  ; and  also  a bluff  of  this  super- 
ficial deposit  studded  with  boulders,  resting  above  the 
partially  stratified  metamorphic  rock.*  Other  excellent 
opportunities  for  observing  this  formation,  also  within 
easy  reach  from  the  city,  are  afforded  along  the  whole 
line  of  the  Dcm  Pedro  Segundo  Railroad,  where  the 
cuts  expose  admirable  sections,  showing  the  red,  unstrat- 
ified, homogeneous  mass  of  sandy  clay  resting  above  the 
solid  rock,  and  often  divided  from  it  by  a thin  bed  of 
pebbles.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  in  the  mind  of  any 
one  familiar  with  similar  facts  observed  in  other  parts  of 
the  world,  that  this  is  one  of  the  many  forms  of  drift 
connected  with  glacial  action.  I was,  however,  far  from 
anticipating,  when  I first  met  it  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Rio,  that  I should  afterwards  find  it  spreading  over 
the  surface  of  the  country  from  north  to  south  and  from 
east  to  west,  with  a continuity  which  gives  legible 
connection  to  the  whole  geological  history  of  the  con- 
tinent. 

It  is  true  that  the  extensive  decomposition  of  the  un- 
derlying rock,  penetrating  sometimes  to  a considerable 
depth,  makes  it  often  difficult  to  distinguish  between  it 
and  the  drift ; and  the  problem  is  made  still  more  puz- 
zling by  the  fact  that  the  surface  of  the  drift,  when 
baked  by  exposure  to  the  hot  sun,  often  assumes  the 
appearance  of  decomposed  rock,  so  that  great  care  is 
required  for  a correct  interpretation  of  the  facts.  A 
little  practice,  however,  trains  the  eye  to  read  these  ap- 
pearances aright ; and  I may  say  that  I have  learned  to 
recognize  everywhere  the  limit  between  the  t^vo  forma- 
tions. There  is  indeed  one  safe  guide,  namely,  the  un~ 


* See  Chapter  III.  p.  86. 


PHYSICAL*  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


401 


dulating  line,  reminding  one  of  roches  moutonnSes*  and 
marking  the  irregular  surface  of  the  rock  on  which  the 
drift  was  accumulated ; whatever  modifications  the  one 
or  the  other  may  have  undergone,  this  line  seems  never 
to  disappear.  Another  deceptive  feature,  arising  from  the 
frequent  disintegration  of  the  rocks  and  from  the  brittle 
character  of  some  of  them,  is  the  presence  of  loose  frag- 
ments, which  simulate  erratic  boulders,  but  are  in  fact  only 
detached  masses  of  the  rock  in  place.  A careful  examina- 
tion of  their  structure,  however,  will  at  once  show  the  geolo- 
gist whether  they  belong  where  they  are  found,  or  have  been 
brought  from  a distance  to  their  present  resting-place. 

But,  while  the  features  to  which  I have  alluded  are 
unquestionably  drift  phenomena,  they  present  in  their 
wider  extension,  and  especially  in  the  northern  part  of 
Brazil,  some  phases  of  glacial  action  hitherto  unobserved. 
Just  as  the  investigation  of  the  ice-period  in  the  United 
States  has  shown  us  that  ice-fields  may  move  over  open 
level  plains,  as  well  as  along  the  slopes  of  mountain  val- 
leys, so  does  a study  of  the  same  class  of  facts  in  South 
America  reveal  new  and  unlooked-for  features  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  ice-period.  Some  will  say  that  the  fact  of 
the  advance  of  ice-fields  over  an  open  country  is  by  no 
means  established,  inasmuch  as  many  geologists  believe 
all  the  so-called  glacial  traces  — viz.  striae,  furrows,  polish, 
etc.,  found  in  the  United  States — to  have  been  made  by 
floating  icebergs  at  a time  when  the  continent  was  sub- 


* The  name  consecrated  by  De  Saussure  to  designate  certain  rocks  in  Swit- 
zerland which  have  had  their  surfaces  rounded  under  the  action  of  the  glaciers. 
Their  gently  swelling  outlines  are  thought  to  resemble  sheep  resting  on  the 
ground,  and  for  this  reason  the  people  in  the  Alps  call  them  roches  mou- 
tonndes. 


402 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


merged.  To  this  I can  only  answer  that,  in  the  State 
of  Maine,  I have  followed,  compass  in  hand,  the  same 
set  of  furrows,  running  from  north  to  south  in  one  un- 
varying line,  over  a surface  of  one  hundred  and  thirty 
miles,  from  the  Katahdin  Iron  Range  to  the  sea-shore.* 
These  furrows  follow  all  the  inequalities  of  the  country, 
ascending  ranges  of  hills  varying  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
hundred  feet  in  height,  and  descending  into  the  inter- 
vening valleys  only  two  or  three  hundred  feet  above  the 
sea,  or  sometimes  even  on  a level  with  it.  I take  it  to 
be  impossible  that  a floating  mass  of  ice  should  travel 
onward  in  one  rectilinear  direction,  turning  neither  to 
the  right  nor  to  the  left,  for  such  a distance.  Equally 
impossible  would  it  be  for  a detached  mass  of  ice,  swim- 
ming on  the  surface  of  the  water,  or  even  with  its  base 
sunk  considerably  below  it,  to  furrow  in  a straight  line  the 
summits  and  sides  of  the  hills,  and  the  bottoms  of  the  inter- 
vening  valleys.  It  would  be  carried  over  the  inequalities  of 
the  country  without  touching  the  lowest  depressions.  In- 
stead of  ascending  the  mountains,  it  would  remain  stranded 
against  any  elevation  which  rose  greatly  above  its  own  base, 
and,  if  caught  between  two  parallel  ridges,  would  float  up 
and  down  between  them.  Moreover,  the  action  of  solid,  un- 
broken ice,  moving  over  the  ground  in  immediate  contact 
with  it,  is  so  different  from  that  of  floating  ice-rafts  or  ice- 
bergs that,  though  the  latter  have  unquestionably  dropped 
erratic  boulders,  and  made  furrows  and  striae  on  the  surface 
where  they  happened  to  be  grounded,  these  phenomena  will 
easily  be  distinguished  from  the  more  connected  tracks  of 
glaciers,  or  extensive  sheets  of  ice,  resting  directly  upon  the 
' face  of  the  country  and  advancing  over  it. 

* See  “ Glacial  Phenomena  in  Maine,”  Atlantic  Monthly,  1866. 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


403 


There  seems  thus  far  to  be  an  inextricable  confusion  in 
the  ideas  of  many  geologists  as  to  the  respective  action  of 
currents,  icebergs,  and  glaciers.  It  is  time  that  tliey  should 
learn  to  distinguish  between  classes  of  facts  so  different 
from  each  other,  and  so  easily  recognized  after  the  discrim- 
ination has  once  been  made.  As  to  the  southward  move- 
ment of  an  immense  field  of  ice,  extending  over  the  whole 
North,  it  seems  inevitable,  the  moment  we  admit  that  snow 
may  accumulate  around  the  pole  in  such  quantities  as  to 
initiate  a pressure  radiating  in  every  direction.  Snow, 
alternately  thawing  and  freezing,  must,  like  water,  find  its 
level  at  last.  A sheet  of  snow  ten  or  fifteen  thousand  feet 
in  thickness,  extending  all  over  the  northern  and  southern 
portions  of'  the  globe,  must  necessarily  lead,  in  the  end,  to 
the  formation  of  a northern  and  southern  cap  of  ice,  moving 
toward  the  equator. 

I have  spoken  of  Tijuca  and  the  Dom  Pedro  Railroad  as 
favorable  localities  for  studying  the  peculiar  southern  drift ; 
but  one  meets  it  in  every  direction.  A sheet  of  drift,  con- 
sisting of  the  same  homogeneous,  unstratified  paste,  and 
containing  loose  materials  of  all  sorts  and  sizes,  covers  the 
country.  It  is  of  very  uneven  thickness,  — sometimes 
thrown  into  relief,  as  it  were,  by  the  surrounding  denuda- 
tions, and  rising  into  hills ; sometimes  reduced  to  a thin 
layer ; sometimes,  as,  for  instance,  on  steep  slopes,  washed 
entirely  away,  leaving  the  bare  face  of  the  rock  exposed. 
It  has,  however,  remained  comparatively  undisturbed  on 
some  very  abrupt  ascents ; as  may  be  seen  on  the  Coreovado, 
along  the  path  leading  up  the  mountain,  where  there  are 
some  very  fine  banks  of  drift,  the  more  striking  from  the 
contrast  of  their  deep-red  color  with  the  surrounding  vege- 
tation. I have  myself  followed  this  sheet  of  drift  from  Rio 


404 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


de  Janeiro  to  the  top  of  the  Serra  do  Mar,  where,  just  out- 
side the  pretty  town  of  Petropolis,  the  river  Piabanha  may 
he  seen  flowing  between  banks  of  drift,  in  which  it  has  ex- 
cavated its  bed  ; thence  I have  traced  it  along  the  beautiful 
macadamized  road  leading  to  Juiz  de  Fora  in  the  province 
of  Minas  Geraes,  and  beyond  this  to  the  farther  side  of  the 
Serra  da  Babylonia.  Throughout  this  whole  tract  of  country 
the  drift  may  be  seen  along  the  roadside,  in  immediate 
contact  with  the  native  crystalline  rock.  The  fertility  of 
the  land,  also,  is  a guide  to  the  presence  of  drift.  Wherever 
it  lies  thickest  over  the  surface,  there  are  the  most  flourish- 
ing coffee-plantations  ; and  I believe  that  a more  systematic 
regard  to  this  fact  would  have  a most  beneficial  influence 
upon  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  country.  No  doubt 
the  fertility  arises  from  the  great  variety  of  chemical  ele- 
ments contained  in  the  drift,  and  the  kneading  process  it 
has  undergone  beneath  the  gigantic  ice-plough,  — a process 
which  makes  glacial  drift  everywhere  the  most  fertile  soil. 
Since  my  return  from  the  Amazons,  my  impression  as  to 
the  general  distribution  of  these  phenomena  has  been  con- 
firmed by  the  reports  of  some  of  my  assistants,  who  have 
been  travelling  in  other  parts  of  the  country.  Mr.  Fred- 
erick C.  Hartt,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Copeland,  one  of  the 
volunteer  aids  of  the  expedition,  has  been  making  collections 
and  geological  observations  in  the  province  of  Spiritu  Santo, 
in  the  valley  of  the  Rio  Doce,  and  afterwards  in  the  valley 
of  the  Mucury.  He  informs  me  that  he  has  found  every- 
where the  same  sheet  of  red,  unstratified  clay,  with  pebbles 
and  occasional  boulders  overlying  the  rock  in  place.  Mr. 
Orestes  St,  John,  who,  taking  the  road  through  the  in- 
terior, has  visited,  with  the  same  objects  in  view,  the 
valleys  of  the  Rio  San  Francisco  and  the  Rio  das  Yelhas, 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS.  405 

and  also  the  valley  ofPiauhy,  gives  the  same  account,  with 
the  exception  that  he  found  no  erratic  boulders  in  these 
* more  northern  regions.  The  rarity  of  erratic  boulders,  not 
only  in  the  deposits  of  the  Amazons  proper,  but  in  those  of 
the  whole 'region  which  may  be  considered  as  the  Ama- 
zonian basin,  is  accounted  for,  as  we  shall  see  hereafter,  by 
the  mode  of  their  formation.  The  observations  of  Mr. 
Hartt  and  Mr.  St.  John  are  the  more  valuable,  because  I 
had  employed  them  both,  on  our  first  arrival  in  Rio,  in 
making  geological  surveys  of  different  sections  on  the  Dom 
Pedro  Railroad,  so  that  they  had  a great  familiarity  with 
those  formations  before  starting  on  their  separate  journeys. 
Recently,  Mr.  St.  John  and  myself  met  in  Para  on  our  re- 
turn from  our  respective  explorations,  and  I have  had  an 
opportunity  of  comparing  on  the  spot  his  geological  sections 
from  the  valley  of  the  Piauhy  with  the  Amazonian  deposits. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  absolute  identity  of  the  for- 
mations in  these  valleys: 

Having  arranged  the  work  of  my  assistants,  and  sent 
several  of  them  to  collect  and  make  geological  examinations 
in  other  directions,  I myself,  with  the  rest  of  my  compan- 
ions, proceeded  up  the  coast  to  PaiA.  I was  surprised  to 
find  at  every  step  of  my  progress  the  same  geological  phe- 
nomena which  had  met  me  at  Rio.  It  was  my  friend, 
Major  Coutinho,  already  an  experienced  Amazonian 
traveller,  who  first  told  me  that  this  formation  continued 
through  the  whole  valley  of  the  Amazons,  and  was  also  to 
be  found  on  all  of  its  affluents  which  he  had  visited, 
although  he  had  never  thought  of  referring  it  to  so  re- 
cent a period.  And  here  let  me  say  that  the  facts  I new 
state  are  by  no  means  exclusively  the  result  of  my  own 
investigations.  They  are  in  great  part  due  to  Major 


406 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Coutinho,  a member  of  the  Brazilian  government  corps 
of  engineers,  who,  by  the  kindness  of  the  Emperor,  was 
associated  with  me  in  my  Amazonian  expedition.  I can 
truly  say  that  he  has  been  my  good  genius  throughout  the 
whole  journey,  saving  me,  by  his  previous  knowledge  of  the 
ground,  from  the  futile  and  misdirected  expenditure  of 
means  and  time  often  inevitable  in  a new  country,  where 
one  is  imperfectly  acquainted  both  with  the  people  and 
their  language;  We  have  worked  together  in  this  investi- 
gation ; my  only  advantage  over  him  being  my  greater 
familiarity  with  like  phenomena  in  Europe  and  North 
America,  and  consequent  readiness  in  the  practical  hand- 
ling of  the  facts  and  in  perceiving  their  connection* 
Major  Coutinho’s  assertion,  that  on  the  banks  of  the  Ama- 
zons I should  find  the  same  red,  unstratified  clay  as  in  Bio 
and  along  the  southern  coast,  seemed  to  me  at  first  almost 
incredible,  impressed  as  I was  with  the  generally  received 
notions  as  to  the  ancient  character  of  the  Amazonian  de- 
posits, referred  by  Humboldt  to  the  Devonian,  and  by 
Martins  to  the  Triassic  period,  and  considered  by  all 
travellers  to  be  at  least  as  old  as  the  Tertiaries.  The 
result,  however,  confirmed  his  report,  at  least  so  far  as  the 
component  materials  of  the  formation  are  concerned  ; but, 
as  will  be  seen  hereafter,  the  mode  of  their  deposition,  and 
the  time  at  which  it  took  place,  have  not  been  the  same  at 
the  north  and  south  ; and  this  difference  of  circumstances 
has  modified  the  aspect  of  a formation  essentially  the  same 
throughout.  At  first  sight,  it  would  indeed  appear  that 
this  formation,  as  it  exists  in  the  valley  of  the  Amazons,  is 
identical  with  that  of  Bio;  but  it  differs  from  it  in  the 
rarity  of  its  boulders,  and  in  showing  occasional  signs  of 
stratification.  It  is  also  everywhere  underlaid  by  coarse, 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


407 


well-stratified  deposits,  resembling  somewhat  the  Recife  of 
Bahia  and  Pernambuco  ; whereas  the  unstratified  drift  of 
the  south  rests  immediately  upon  the  undulating  surface 
of  whatever  rock  happens  to  make  the  foundation  of  the 
country,  whether  stratified  or  crystalline.  The  peculiar 
sandstone  on  which  the  Amazonian  clay  rests  exists  no- 
where else.  Before  proceeding,  however,  to  describe  the 
Amazonian  deposits  in  detail,  I ought  to  say  something 
of  the  nature  and  origin  of  the  valley  itself. 

The  valley  of  the  Amazons  was  first  sketched  out  by 
the  elevation  of  two  tracts  of  land ; namely,  the  plateau 
of  Guiana  on  the  north,  and  the  central  plateau  of  Brazil 
on  the  south.  It  is  probable  that,  at  the  time  these 
two  table-lands  were  lifted  above  the  sea-level,  the  An- 
des did  not  exist,  and  the  ocean  flowed  between  them 
through  an  open  strait.  It  would  seem  (and  this  is  a 
curious  result  of  modern  geological  investigations)  that 
the  portions  of  the  earth’s  surface  earliest  raised  above 
the  ocean  have  trended  from  east  to  west.  The  first 
tract  of  land  lifted  above  the  waters  in  North  America 
was  also  a long  continental  island,  running  from  New- 
foundland almost  to  the  present  base  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. This  tendency  may  be  attributed  to  various  causes, 
— to  the  rotation  of  the  earth,  the  consequent  depres- 
sion of  its  poles,  and  the  breaking  of  its  crust  along  the 
lines  of  greatest  tension  thus  produced.  At  a later 
period,  the  upheaval  of  the  Andes  took  place,  closing 
the  western  side  of  this  strait,  and  thus  transforming  it 
into  a gulf,  open  only  toward  the  east.  Little  or  nothing 
is  known  of  the  earlier  stratified  deposits  resting  against 
the  crystalline  masses  first  uplifted  along  the  borders  of  the 
Amazonian  Valley.  There  is  here  no  sequence,  as  in  North 


408 


A 'JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


America,  of  Azoic,  Silurian,  Devonian,  and  Carboniferous 
formations,  shored  up  against  each  other  by  the  gradual 
upheaval  of  the  continent ; although,  unquestionably,  older 
palaeozoic  and  secondary  beds  underlie,  here  and  there, 
the  later  formations.  Indeed,  Major  Coutinlio  has  found 
palaeozoic  deposits,  with  characteristic  Brachiopods,  in  the 
valley  of  the  Rio  Tapajos,  at  the  first  cascade,  and  car- 
boniferous deposits  have  been  noticed  along  the  Rio 
Guapore  and  the  Rio-  Mamore.  But  the  first  chapter 
in  the  valley’s  geological  history  about  which  we  have 
connected  and  trustworthy  data  is  that  of  the  cretaceous 
period.  It  seems  certain,  that,  at  the  close  of  the  secondary 
age,  the  whole  Amazonian  basin  became  lined  with  a ere-' 
taceous  deposit,  the  margins  of  which  crop  out  at  various 
localities  on  its  borders.  They  have  been  observed  along 
its  southern  limits,  on  its  western  outskirts  along  the 
Andes,  in  Venezuela  along  the  shore-line  of  mountains, 
and  also  in  certain  localities  near  its  eastern  edge.  I well 
remember  that  one  of  the  first  things  which  awakened 
my  interest  in  the  geology  of  the  Amazonian  Valley  was 
the  sight  of  some  cretaceous  fossil  fishes  from  the  province 
of  Ceard.  These  fossil  fishes  were  collected  by  Mr.  George 
Gardner,  to  whom  science  is  indebted  for  the  most  ex- 
tensive information  yet  obtained  respecting  the  geology 
of  that  part  of  Brazil.  In  this  connection,  let  me  say 
that  I shall  speak  of  the  provinces  of  Ceard,  Piauliy,  and 
Maranliam  as  belonging  geologically  to  the  valley  of  the 
Amazons,  though  their  shore  is  bathed  by  the  ocean  and 
their  rivers  empty  directly  into  the  Atlantic.  But  I 
entertain  no  doubt  that,  at  an  earlier  period,  the  north- 
eastern coast  of  Brazil  stretched  much  farther  seaward 
than  in  our  day;  so  far,  indeed,  that  in  tlmse  times  the 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


409 


rivers  of  all  these  provinces  must  have  been  tributaries 
of  the  Amazons  in  its  eastward  course.  The  evidence  for 
this  conclusion  is  substantially  derived  from  the  identity 
of  the  deposits  in  the  valleys  belonging  to  these  provinces 
with  those  of  the  valleys  through  which  the  actual  tribu- 
taries of  the  Amazons  flow  ; as,  for  instance,  the  Tocantins, 
the  Xingu,  the  Tapajos,  the  Madeira,  etc.  Besides  the 
fossils  above  alluded  to  from  the  eastern  borders  of  this 
ancient  basin,  I have  had  recently  another  evidence  of  its 
cretaceous  character  from  its  southern  region.  Mr.  Wil- 
liam Chandless,  on  his  return  from  a late  journey  on  the 
Bio  Purus,  presented  me  with  a series  of  fossil  remains 
of  the  highest  interest,  and  undoubtedly  belonging  to  the 
cretaceous  period.  They  were  collected  by  himself  on  the 
Rio  Aquiry,  an  affluent  of  the  Rio  Purus.  Most  of  them 
were  found  in  place  between  the  tenth  and  eleventh  de- 
grees of  south  latitude,  and  the  sixty-seventh  and  sixty- 
ninth  degrees  of  west  longitude  from  Greenwich,  in  local- 
ities varying  from  four  hundred  and  thirty  to  six  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  above  the  sea-level.  There  are  among  them 
remains  of  Mosasaurus,  and  of  fishes  closely  allied  to  those 
already  represented  by  Faujas  in  his  description  of  Maes- 
tricht,  and  characteristic,  as  is  well  known  to  geological 
students,  of  the  most  recent  cretaceous  period. 

Thus  in  its  main  features  the  valley  of  the  Amazons 
like  that  of  the  Mississippi,  is  a cretaceous  basin.  This 
resemblance  suggests  a further  comparison  between  the 
twin  continents  of  North  and  South  America.  Not  only- 
is  their  general  form  the  same,  but  their  framework,  as 
we  may  call  it,  — that  is,  the  lay  of  their  great  mountain- 
chains  and  of  their  table-lands,  with  the  extensive  inter- 
vening depressions,  — presents  a striking  similarity.  Indeed, 
18 


410 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


a zoologist,  accustomed  to  trace  a like  structure  under 
variously  modified  animal  forms,  cannot  but  have  his 
homological  studies  recalled  to  his  mind  by  the  coinci- 
dence between  certain  physical  features  in  the  northern 
and  southern  parts  of  the  Western  hemisphere.  And  yet 
here,  as  throughout  all  nature,  these  correspondences  ai? 
combined  with  a distinctness  of  individualization  which 
leaves  its  respective  character,  not  only  to  each  continent 
as  a whole,  but  also  to  the  different  regions  circumscribed 
within  its  borders.  In  both,  however,  the  highest  mountain- 
chains,  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  the  Western  Coast  Range, 
with  their  wide  intervening  table-land  in  North  America,  and 
the  chain  of  the  Andes,  with  its  lesser  plateaux  in  South 
America,  run  along  the  western  coast ; both  have  a great 
eastern  promontory,  Newfoundland  in  the  Northern  conti- 
nent, and  Cape  St.  Roque  in  the  Southern  : and  though 
the  resemblance  between  the  inland  elevations  is  perhaps 
less  striking,  yet  the  Canadian  range,  the  White  Mountains, 
and  the  Alleghanies  may  very  fairly  be  compared  to  the 
table-lands  of  Guiana  and  Brazil,  and  the  Serra  do  Mar. 
Similar  correspondences  may  be  traced  among  the  river- 
systems.  The  Amazons  and  the  St.  Lawrence,  though  so 
different  in  dimensions,  remind  us  of  each  other  by  their 
trend  and  geographical  position  ; and  while  the  one  is 
fed  by  the  largest  river-system  in  the  world,  the  other 
drains  the  most  extensive  lake  surfaces  known  to  exist 
in  immediate  contiguity.  The  Orinoco,  with  its  bay,  recalls 
Hudson’s  Bay  and  its  many  tributaries,  and  the  Rio  Mag- 
dalena may  be  said  to  be  the  South- American  Mackenzie ; 
while  the  Rio  de  la  Plata  represents  geographically  our 
Mississippi,  and  the  Paraguay  recalls  the  Missouri.  The 
Parana  may  be  compared  to  the  Ohio ; the  Pilcomayo, 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


411 


Vermejo,  and  Salado  rivers,  to  the  river  Platte,  the  Ar- 
kansas, and  the  Red  River  in  the  United  States  ; while 
the  rivers  farther  south,  emptying  into  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  represent  the  rivers  of  Patagonia  and  the  south- 
ern parts  of  the  Argentine  Republic.  Not  only  is  there 
this  general  correspondence  between  the  mountain  eleva- 
tions and  the  river-systems,  but  as  the  larger  river-basins 
of  North  America  — those  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  the  Mackenzie  — meet  in  the  low  tracts 
extending  along  the  foot  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  so  do 
the  basins  of  the  Amazons,  the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  and 
the  Orinoco  join  each  other  along  the  eastern  slope  of 
the  Andes. 

But  while  in  geographical  homology  the  Amazons  com- 
pares with  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  the  Mississippi  with  the 
Rio  de  la  Plata,  the  Mississippi  and  the  Amazons,  as  has 
been  said,  resemble  each  other  in  their  local  geological 
character.  They  have  both  received  a substratum  of  cre- 
taceous beds,  above  which  are  accumulated  more  recent 
deposits,  so  that,  in  their  most  prominent  geological  fea- 
tures, both  may  be  considered  as  cretaceous  basins,  con- 
taining extensive  deposits  of  a very  recent  age.  Of  the 
history  of  the  Amazonian  Yalley  during  the  periods  im- 
mediately following  the  Cretaceous,  we  know  little  or 
nothing.  Whether  the  Tertiary  deposits  are  hidden  under 
the  more  modern  ones ; or  whether  they  are  wholly  want- 
ing, the  basin  having,  perhaps,  been  raised  above  the 
sea-level  before  that  time ; or  whether  they  have  been 
swept  away  by  the  tremendous  inundations  in  the  valley, 
which  have  certainly  destroyed  a great  part  of  the  creta- 
ceous deposit,  — they  have  never  been  observed  in  any  part 
of  the  Amazonian  basin.  Whatever  Tertiary  deposits  are 


412 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


represented  in  geological  maps  of  tliis  region  are  so  marked 
in  consequence  of  an  incorrect  identification  of  strata 
belonging,  in  fact,  to  a much  more  recent  period. 

A minute  and  extensive  survey  of  the  valley  of  the  Ama- 
zons is  by  no  means  an  easy  task,  and  its  difficulty  is  greatly 
increased  by  the  fact  that  the  lower  formations  are  only 
accessible  on  the  river  margins  during  the  vasante , or  dry 
season,  when  the  waters  shrink  in  their  beds,  leaving  a great 
part  of  their  banks  exposed.  It  happened  that  the  first  three 
or  four  months  of  my  journey  (August,  September,  October, 
and  November)  were  those  when  the  waters  are  lowest, 
— reaching  their  minimum  in  September  and  October,  and 
beginning  to  rise  again  in  November,  — so  that  I had  an 
excellent  opportunity,  in  ascending  the  river,  of  observing 
its  geological  structure.  Throughout  its  whole  length, 
three  distinct  geological  formations  may  be  traced,  the  two 
lower  of  which  have  followed  in  immediate  succession,  and 
are  conformable  with  one  another,  while  the  third  rests  un- 
conformably  upon  them,  following  all  the  inequalities  of  the 
greatly  denudated  surface  presented  by  the  second  forma- 
tion. Notwithstanding  this  seeming  interruption  in  the 
sequence  of  these  deposits,  the  third,  as  we  shall  presently 
see,  belongs  to  the  same  series,  and  was  accumulated  in  the 
same  basin.  The  lowest  set  of  beds  of  the  whole  series  is 
rarely  visible ; but  it  seems  everywhere  to  consist  of  sand- 
stone, or  even  of  loose  sands  well  stratified,  the  coarser 
materials  lying  invariably  below,  and  the  finer  above.  Upon 
this  lower  set  of  beds  rests  everywhere  an  extensive  deposit 
of  fine  laminated  clays,  varying  in  thickness,  but  frequently 
dividing  into  layers  as  thin  as  a sheet  of  paper.  In  some 
localities  they  exhibit,  in  patches,  an  extraordinary  variety 
of  beautiful  colors,  — pink,  orange,  crimson,  yellow,  gray, 


PHYSICAL  HISTORf  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


413 


blue,  and  also  black  and  white.  It  is  from  these  beds  that 
the  Indians  prepare  their  paints.  These  clay  deposits  as- 
sume occasionally  a peculiar  appearance,  and  one  which 
might  mislead  the  observer  as  to  their  true  nature.  When 
their  surface  has  been  long  exposed  to  the  action  of  the 
atmosphere  and  to  the  heat  of  the  burning  sun,  they  look 
so  much  like  clay-slates  of  the  oldest  geological  epochs  that, 
at  first  sight,  I took  them  for  primary  slates,  my  attention 
being  attracted  to  them  by  a regular  cleavage  as  distinct  as 
that  of  the  most  ancient  clay-slates.  And  yet  at  Tonantins, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Solimoens,  in  a locality  where  their 
exposed  surfaces  had  this  primordial  appearance,  I found  in 
these  very  beds  a considerable  amount  of  well-preserved 
leaves,  the  character  of  which  proves  their  recent  origin. 
These  leaves  do  not  even  indicate  as  ancient  a period  as  the 
Tertiaries,  but  resemble  so  closely  the  vegetation  of  to-day 
that  I have  no  doubt,  when  examined  by  competent  author- 
ity, they  will  be  identified  with  living  plants.  The  pres- 
ence of  such  an  extensive  clay  formation,  stretching  over  a 
surface  of  more  than  three  thousand  miles  in  length  and 
about  seven  hundred  in  breadth,  is  not  easily  explained 
under  any  ordinary  circumstances.  The  fact  that  it  is  so 
thoroughly  laminated  shows  that,  in  the  basin  in  which  it 
was  formed,  the  waters  must  have  been  unusually  quiet, 
containing  identical  materials  throughout,  and  that  these 
materials  must  have  been  deposited  over  the  whole  bottom 
in  the  same  way.  It  is  usually  separated  from  the  superin- 
cumbent beds  by  a glazed  crust  of  hard,  compact  sandstone, 
almost  resembling  a ferruginous  quartzite. 

Upon  this  follow  beds  of  sand  and  sandstone,  varying  in 
the  regularity  of  their  strata,  reddish  in  color,  often  highly 
ferruginous,  and  more  or  less  nodulous  or  porous.  They 


414 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


present  frequent  traces  of  cross-stratification,  alternating 
with  regularly  stratified  horizontal  beds,  with  here  and  there 
an  intervening  layer  of  clay.  It  would  seem  as  if  the  char- 
acter of  the  water-basin  had  now  changed,  and  as  if  the 
waters  under  which  this  second  formation  was  deposited 
had  vibrated  between  storm  and  calm,  had  sometimes 
flowed  more  gently,  and  again  had  been  tossed  to  and  fro, 
giving  to  some  of  the  beds  the  aspect  of  true  torrential 
deposits.  Indeed,  these  sandstone  formations  present  a 
great  variety  of  aspects.  Sometimes  they  are  very  regu- 
larly laminated,  or  assume  even  the  appearance  of  the  hard- 
est quartzite.  This  is  usually  the  case  with  the  uppermost 
beds.  In  other  localities,  and  more  especially  in  the  lower- 
most beds,  the  whole  mass  is  honeycombed,  as  if  drilled  by 
worms  or  boring  shells,  the  hard  parts  enclosing  softer  sands 
or  clays.  Occasionally  the  ferruginous  materials  prevail  to 
such  an  extent  that  some  of  these  beds  might  be  mistaken 
for  bog-ore,  while  others  contain  a large  amount  of  clay, 
more  regularly  stratified,  and  alternating  with  strata  of 
sandstone,  thus  recalling  the  most  characteristic  forms 
of  the  Old  Red  or  Triassic  formations.  This  resemblance 
has,  no  doubt,  led  to  the  identification  of  the  Amazonian 
deposits  with  the  more  ancient  formations  of  Europe.  At 
Monte  Alegre,  of  which  I shall  presently  speak  more  in 
detail,  such  a clay  bed  divides  the  lower  from  the  upper 
sandstone.  The  thickness  of  these  sandstones  is  extremely 
variable.  In  the  basin  of  the  Amazons  proper,  they  hardly 
rise  anywhere  above  the  level  of  high  water  during  the  rainy 
season ; while  at  low  water,  in  the  summer  months,  they  may 
be  observed  everywhere  along  the  river-banks.  It  will  be 
seen,  however,  that  the  limit  between  high  and  low  water 
gives  no  true  measure  of  the  original  thickness  of  the  whole 


senes. 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


415 


In  the  neighborhood  of  Almeyrim,  at  a short  distance 
from  the  northern  bank  of  the  river,  and  nearly  parallel 
with  its  course,  there  rises  a line  of  low  hills,  interrupted 
here  and  there,  but  extending  in  evident  connection  from 
Almeyrim  through  the  region  of  Monte  Alegre  to  the  heights 
of  Obydos.  These  hills  have  attracted  the  attention  of 
travellers,  not  only  from  their  height,  which  appears  greater 
than  it  is,  because  they  rise  abruptly  from  an  extensive  plain, 
but  also  on  account  of  their  curious  form ; many  of  them 
being  perfectly  level  on  top,  like  smooth  tables,  and  very  ab- 
ruptly divided  from  each  other  by  low,  intervening  spaces.* 
Nothing  has  hitherto  been  known  of  the  geological  structure 
of  these  hills,  but  they  have  been  usually  represented  as 
the  southernmost  spurs  of  the  table-land  of  Guiana.  On 
ascending  the  river,  I felt  the  greatest  curiosity  to  examine 
them  ; but  at  the  time  I was  deeply  engrossed  in  studying 
the  distribution  of  fishes  in  the  Amazonian  waters,  and  in 
making  large  ichthyological  collections,  for  which  it  was 
very  important  not  to  miss  the  season  of  low  water,  when 
the  fishes  are  most  easily  obtained.  I was,  therefore,  obliged 
to  leave  this  most  interesting  geological  problem,  and  con- 
tent myself  with  examining  the  structure  of  the  valley  so 
far  as  it  could  be  seen  on  the  river-banks  and  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  my  different  collecting  stations.  On  my  return, 
however,  when  my  collections  were  completed,  I was  free  to 
pursue  this  investigation,  in  which  Major  Coutinho  was  as 
much  interested  as  myself.  We  determined  to  select  Monte 
Alegre  as  the  centre  of  our  exploration,  the  serra  in  that 
region  being  higher  than  elsewhere.  As  I was  detained  by 

* The  atlas  in  Martins’s  “ Journey  to  Brazil,”  or  the  sketch  accompanying 
Bates’s  description  of  these  hills  in  his  “ Naturalist  on  the  Amazon^  , '’  will 
give  an  idea  of  their  aspect. 


416 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


indisposition  at  Manaos  for  some  days  at  the  time  we  had 
appointed  for  the  excursion,  Major  Coutinho  preceded  me, 
and  had  already  made  one  trip  to  the  serra,  with  some  very 
interesting  results,  when  I joined  him,  and  we  took  a sec- 
ond journey  together.  Monte  Alegre  lies  on  a side  arm  of 
the  Amazons,  a little  off  from  its  main  course.  This  side 
arm,  called  the  Rio  Gurupatuba,  is  simply  a channel,  run- 
ning parallel  with  the  Amazons,  and  cutting  through  from 
a higher  to  a lower  point.  Its  dimensions  are,  however, 
greatly  exaggerated  in  all  the  maps  thus  far  published, 
where  it  is  usually  made  to  appear  as  a considerable  north- 
ern tributary  of  the  Amazons.  The  town  stands  on  an 
elevated  terrace,  separated  from  the  main  stream  by  the  Rib 
Gurupatuba  and  by  an  extensive  flat,  consisting  of  numer- 
ous lakes  divided  from  each  other  by  low,  alluvial  land,  and 
mostly  connected  by  narrow  channels.  To  the  west  of  the 
town  this  terrace  sinks  abruptly  to  a wide  sandy  plain 
called  the  Campos,  covered  with  a low  forest-growth,  and 
bordered  on  its  farther  limit  by  the  picturesque  serra  of 
Erere.  The  form  of  this  mountain  is  so  abrupt,  its  rise 
from  the  plains  so  bold  and  sudden,  that  it  seems  more 
than  twice  its  real  height.  Judging  by  the  eye  and  com- 
paring it  with  the  mountains  I had  last  seen,  — the  Corco- 
vado,  the  Gavia,  and  Tijuca  range  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Rio,  — I had  supposed  it  to  be  three  or  four  thousand  feet 
high,  and  was  greatly  astonished  when  our  barometric  ob 
servations  showed  it  to  be  somewhat  less  than  nine  hundred 
feet  in  its  most  elevated  point.  This,  however,  agrees  with 
Martius’s  measurement  of  the  Almeyrim  hills,  which  he 
says  are  eight  hundred  feet  in  height. 

We  passed  three  days  in  the  investigation  of  the  Serra 
of  Erere,  and  found  it  to  consist  wholly  of  the  sandstone 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


417 


deposits  already  described,  and  to  have  exactly  the  same 
geological  constitution.  In  short,  the  Serra  of  Monte 
Aldgre,  and  of  course  all  those  connected  with  it  on  the 
northern  side  of  the  river,  lie  in  the  prolongation  of  the 
lower  beds  forming  the  banks  of  the  river,  their  greater 
height  being  due  simply  to  the  fact  that  they  have  not 
been  worn  to  the  same  low  level.  The  opposite  range 
of  Santarem,  which  has  the  same  general  outline  and 
character,  shares,  no  doubt,  the  same  geological  struc- 
ture. In  one  word,  all  these  hills  were  formerly  part  of 
a continuous  formation,  and  owe  their  present  outline  and 
their  isolated  position  to  a colossal  denudation.  The  sur- 
face of  the  once  unbroken  strata,  which  in  their  original 
condition  must  have  formed  an  immense  plain  covered 
by  water,  has  been  cut  into  ravines  or  carried  away  over 
large  tracts,  to  a greater  or  less  depth,  leaving  only  such 
portions  standing  as,  from  their  hardness,  could  resist  the 
floods  which  swept  over  it.  The  longitudinal  trend  of 
these  hills  is  to  be  ascribed  to  the  direction  of  the  cur- 
rent which  caused  the  denudation,  while  their  level  sum- 
mits are  due  to  the  regularity  of  the  stratification.  They 
are  not  all  table-topped,  however  ; among  them  are  many 
of  smaller  size,  in  which  the  sides  have  been  gradually 
worn  down,  producing  a gently  rounded  surface.  Of 
course,  under  the  heavy  tropical  rains  this  denudation  is 
still  going  on,  though  in  a greatly  modified  form. 

I cannot  speak  of  this  Serra  without  alluding  to  the  great 
beauty  and  extraordinary  extent  of  the  view  to  be  obtained 
from  it.  Indeed,  it  was  here  that  for  the  first  time  the 
geography  of  the  country  presented  itself  to  my  mind  as 
a living  reality  in  all  its  completeness.  Insignificant  as 
is  its  actual  height,  the  Serra  of  Erer6  commands  a 
18* 


418 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


wider  prospect  than  is  to  be  had  from  many  a more  im- 
posing mountain  ; for  the  surrounding  plain,  covered  with 
forests  and  ploughed  by  countless  rivers,  stretches  away 
for  hundreds  of  leagues  in  every  direction,  without  any 
object  to  obstruct  the  view.  Standing  on  the  brow  of  the 
Serra,  with  the  numerous  lakes  intersecting  the  lowlands 
at  its  base,  you  look  across  the  valley  of  the  Amazons, 
a a far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  and  through  its  centre  you 
follow  for  miles  on  either  side  the  broad  flood  of  the  great 
river,  carrying  its  yellow  waters  to  the  sea.  As  I stood 
there,  panoramas  from  the  Swiss  mountains  came  up  to 
my  memory,  and  I fancied  myself  on  the  Alps,  looking 
across  the  plain  of  Switzerland  instead  of  the  bed  of  the 
Amazons ; the  distant  line  of  the  Santarem  hills  on  the 
southern  bank  of  the  river,  and  lower  than  the  northern 
chain,  representing  the  Jura  range.  As  if  to  complete 
the  comparison,  Alpine  lichens  were  growing  among  the 
cacti  and  palms,  and  a crust  of  Arctic  cryptogamous 
growth  covered  rocks,  between  which  sprang  tropical  flow- 
ers. On  the  northern  flank  of  this  Serra  I found  the 
only  genuine  erratic  boulders  I have  seen  in  the  whole 
length  of  the  Amazonian  Yalley  from  Para  to  the  frontier 
of  Peru,  though  there  are  many  detached  masses  of  rock, 
as,  for  instance,  at  Pedreira,  near  the  junction  of  the  Rio 
Negro  and  Rio  Branco,  which  might  be  mistaken  for 
them,  but  are  due  to  the  decomposition  of  the  rocks  in 
place.  The  boulders  of  Ererd  are  entirely  distinct  from  the 
rock  of  the  Serra,  and  consist  of  masses  of  compact  horn- 
blende. 

It  would  seem  that  these  two  ranges  skirting  a part  of 
the  northern  and  southern  banks  of  the  Lower  Amazons  are 
not  the  only  remnants  of  this  arenaceous  formation  in  its 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


419 


primitive  altitude.  On  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Japura,  in  the 
Serra  of  Cupati,  Major  Coutinho  has  found  the  same  beds 
rising  to  the  same  height.  It  thus  appears,  by  positive 
evidence,  that  over  an  extent  of  a thousand  miles  these 
deposits  had  a very  considerable  thickness,  in  the  present 
direction  of  the  valley.  How  far  they  extended  in  width 
has  not  been  ascertained  by  direct  observation  ; for  we 
have  not  seen  how  they  sink  away  to  the  northward,  and 
towards  the  south  the  denudation  has  been  so  complete 
that,  except  in  the  very  low  range  of  hills  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Santarem,  they  do  not  rise  above  the  plain.  But 
the  fact  that  this  formation  once  had  a thickness  of  more 
than  eight  hundred  feet  within  the  limits  where  we  have 
had  an  opportunity  of  observing  it,  leaves  no  doubt  that 
it  must  have  extended  to  the  edge  of  the  basin,  filling  it 
to  the  same  height  throughout  its  whole  extent.  The 
thickness  of  the  deposits  gives  a measure  for  the  colossal 
scale  of  the  denudations  by  which  this  immense  accumu- 
lation was  reduced  to  its  present  level.  Here,  then,  is  a 
system  of  high  hills,  having  the  prominence  of  mountains 
in  the  landscape,  produced  by  causes  to  whose  agency 
inequalities,  on  the  earth’s  surface  of  this  magnitude  have 
never  yet  been  ascribed.  We  may  fairly  call  them  denuda- 
tion mountains. 

At  this  stage  of  the  inquiry  we  have  to  account  for  two 
remarkable  phenomena,  — first,  the  filling  of  the  Amazonian 
bottom  with  coarse  arenaceous  materials  and  finely  lami- 
nated clays,  immediately  followed  by  sandstones  rising  to  a 
height  of  more  than  eight  hundred  feet  above  the  sea, 
the  basin  meanwhile  having  no  rocky  barrier  towards  the 
ocean  on  its  eastern  side ; secondly,  the  wearing  away  and 
reduction  of  these  formations  to  their  present  level  by  a 


420 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


denudation  more  extensive  than  any  thus  far  recorded 
in  the  annals  of  geology,  which  has  given  rise  to  all  the 
most  prominent  hills  and  mountain-chains  along  the  north- 
ern bank  of  the  river.  Before  seeking  an  explanation  of 
these  facts,  let  us  look  at  the  third  and  uppermost  deposit. 

This  deposit  is  essentially  the  same  as  the  Bio  drift ; 
but  in  the  north  it  presents  itself  under  a somewhat  dif- 
ferent aspect.  As  in  Bio,  it  is  a clayey  deposit,  containing 
more  or  less  sand,  and  reddish  in  color,  though  varying 
from  deep  ochre  to  a brownish  tint.  It  is  not  so  abso- 
lutely destitute  of  stratification  here  as  in  its  more  south- 
ern range,  though  the  traces  of  stratification  are  rare, 
and,  when  they  do  occur,  are  faint  and  indistinct.  The 
materials  are  also  more  completely  comminuted,  and,  as  I 
said  above,  contain  hardly  any  large  masses,  though  quartz 
pebbles  are  sometimes  scattered  throughout  the  deposit, 
and  occasionally  a thin  seam  of  pebbles,  exactly  as  in  the 
Bio  drift,  is  seen  resting  between  it  and  the  underlying 
sandstone.  In  some  places  this  bed  of  pebbles  intersects 
even  the  mass  of  the  clay,  giving  it,  in  such  instances, 
an  unquestionably  stratified  character.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  that  this  more  recent  formation  rests  unconform- 
ably  upon  the  sandstone  beds  beneath  it ; for  it  fills  all 
the  inequalities  of  their  denudated  surfaces,  whether  they 
be  more  or  less  limited  furrows,  or  wide,  undulating  de- 
pressions. It  may  be  seen  everywhere  along  the  banks 
of  the  river,  above  the  stratified  sandstone,  sometimes 
with  the  river-mud  accumulated  against  it ; at  the  season 
of  the  enchente , or  high  water,  it  is  the  only  formation  left 
exposed  above  the  water-level.  Its  thickness  is  not  great; 
it  varies  from  twenty  or  thirty  to  fifty  feet,  and  may  occa- 
sionally rise  nearly  to  a hundred  feet  in  height,  though  this 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


421 


is  rarely  tlie  case.  It  is  evident  that  this  formation  also  was 
once  continuous,  stretching  over  the  whole  basin  at  one 
level.  Though  it  is  now  worn  down  in  many  places,  and 
has  wholly  disappeared  in  others,  its  connection  may  be 
readily  traced  ; since  it  is  everywhere  visible,  not  only 
on  opposite  banks  of  the  Amazons,  but  also  on  those 
of  all  its  tributaries,  as  far  as  their  shores  have  been  ex- 
amined. I have  said  that  it  rests  always  above  the  sand- 
stone beds.  This  is  true,  with  one  exception.  Wherever 
the  sandstone  deposits  retain  their  original  thickness,  as 
in  the  hills  of  Monte  Alegre  and  Almeyrim,  the  red  clay 
is  not  found  on  their  summits,  but  occurs  only  in  their 
ravines  and  hollows,  or  resting  against  their  sides.  This 
shows  that  it  is  not  only  posterior  to  the  sandstone,  but 
was  accumulated  in  a shallower  basin,  and  consequently 
never  reached  so  high  a level.  The  boulders  of  Erere 
do  not  rest  on  the  stratified  sandstone  of  the  Serra,  but 
are  sunk  in  the  unstratified  mass  of  the  clay.  This 
should  be  remembered,  as  it  will  presently  be  seen  that 
their  position  associates  them  with  a later  period  than 
that  of  the  mountain  itself.  The  unconformability  of 
the  ochraceous  clay  and  the  underlying  sandstones  might 
lead  to  the  idea  that  the  two  formations  belong  to  distinct 
geological  periods,  and  are  not  due  to  the  same  agency 
acting  at  successive  times.  One  feature,  however,  shows 
their  close  connection.  The  ochraceous  clay  exhibits  a 
remarkable  identity  of  configuration  with  the  underlying 
sandstones.  An  extensive  survey  of  the’  two,  in  their 
mutual  relations,  shows  clearly  that  they  were  both  de- 
posited by  the  same  water-system  within  the  same  basin, 
but  at  different  levels.  Here  and  there  the  clay  forma- 
tion has  so  pale  and  grayish  a tint  that  it  may  be  cou- 


422 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


founded  with  the  mud  deposits  of  the  river.  These  latter, 
however,  never  rise  so  high  as  the  ocliraceous  clay,  but 
are  everywhere  confined  within  the  limits  of  high  and 
low  water.  The  islands  also,  in  the  main  course  of  the 
Amazons,  consist  invariably  of  river-mud ; while  those 
arising  from  the  intersection  and  cutting  off  of  portions 
of  the  land  by  diverging  branches  of  the  main  stream 
always  consist  of  the  well-known  sandstones,  capped  by 
the  oclire-colored  clay. 

It  may  truly  be  said  that  there  does  not  exist  on  the 
surface  of  the  earth  a formation  known  to  geologists  re- 
sembling that  of  the  Amazons.  Its  extent  is  stupendous  ; 
it  stretches  from  the  Atlantic  shore,  through  the  whole 
width  of  Brazil,  into  Peru,  to  the  very  foot  of  the  Andes. 
Humboldt  speaks  of  it  “ in  the  vast  plains  of  the  Amazons, 
in  the  eastern  boundary  of  Jaen  de  Bracamoros,”  and 
says,  “ This  prodigious  extension  of  red  sandstone  in  the 
low  grounds  stretching  along  the  east  of  the  Andes  is 
one  of  the  most  striking  phenomena  I observed  during 
my  examination  of  rocks  in  the  equinoctial  regions.”  * 
When  the  great  natural  philosopher  wrote  these  lines,  he 
had  no  idea  how  much  these  deposits  extended  beyond 
the  field  of  his  observations.  Indeed,  they  are  not  limited 
to  the  main  bed  of  the  Amazons  ; they  have  been  fol- 

* Bohn’s  edition  of  Humboldt’s  Personal  Narrative,  Chap.  II.  p.  134.  Hum- 
boldt alludes  to  these  formations  repeatedly  : it  is  true  that  he  refers  them  to 
the  ancient  conglomerates  of  the  Devonian  age,  but  his  description  agrees  so 
perfectly  with  what  I have  observed  along  the  banks  of  the  Amazons  and 
the  Rio  Negro  that  there  can  be  no  doubt  he  speaks  of  the  same  thing.  He 
wrote  at  a time  when  many  of  the  results  of  modern  geology  were  un- 
known, and  his  explanation  of  the  phenomena  was  then  perfectly  natural. 
The  passage  from  which  the  few  lines  in  the  text  are  taken  shows  that  these 
deposits  extend  even  to  the  Llanos. 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


423 


lowed  along  the  banks  of  its  tributaries  to  the  south  and 
north  as  far  as  these  have  been  ascended.  They  occur  on 
the  margins  of  the  Huallaga  and  the  Ucayale,  on  those 
of  the  15a,  the  Hyutahy,  the  Hyurua,  the  Hyapura,  and 
the  Purus.  On  the  banks  of  the  Hyapura,  where  Major 
Coutinho  has  traced  them,  they  are  found  as  far  as  the 
Cataract  of  Cupati.  I have  followed  them  along  the  Rio 
Negro  to  its  junction  with  the  Rio  Branco  ; and  Hum- 
boldt not  only  describes  them  from  a higher  point  on  this 
same  river,  but  also  from  the  valley  of  the  Orinoco.  Finally, 
they  may  be  tracked  along  the  banks  of  the  Madeira,  the 
Tapajos,  the  Xingu,  and  the  Tocantins,  as  well  as  on  the 
shores  of  the  Guatuma,  the  Trombetas,  and  other  north- 
ern affluents  of  the  Amazons.  The  observations  of  Mar- 
tius,  those  of  Gardner,  and  the  recent  survey  above  alluded 
to,  made  by  my  assistant,  Mr.  St.  John,  of  the  valley  of 
the  Rio  Guruguea  and  that  of  the  Rio  Paranahyba,  show 
that  the  great  basin  of  Piauhy  is  also  identical  in  its 
geological  structure  with  the  lateral  valleys  of  the  Ama- 
zons. The  same  is  true  of  the  large  island  of  Marajo, 
lying  at  the  mouth  of  the  Amazons.  And  yet  I believe 
that  even  this  does  not  cover  the  whole  ground,  and 
that  some  future  writer  may  say  of  my  estimate,  as  I 
have  said  of  Humboldt’s,  that  it  falls  short  of  the  truth ; 
for,  if  my  generalizations  are  correct,  the  same  formation 
will  be  found  extending  over  the  whole  basin  of  the  Para- 
guay and  the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  and  along  their  tributaries, 
to  the  very  heart  of  the  Andes. 

Such  are  the  facts.  The  question  now  arises,  How 
were  these  vast  deposits  formed  ? The  easiest  answer, 
and  the  one  which  most  readily  suggests  itself,  is  that  of 
a submersion  of  the  continent  at  successive  periods,  to 


424 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


allow  the  accumulation  of  these  materials,  and  its  sub- 
sequent elevation.  I reject  this  explanation  for  the  simple 
reason  that  the  deposits  show  no  sign  whatever  of  a 
marine  origin.  No  sea-shells,  nor  remains  of  any  marine 
animal,  have  as  yet  been  found  throughout  their  whole 
extent,  over  a region  several  thousand  miles  in  length 
and  from  five  to  seven  hundred  miles  in  width.  It  is 
contrary  to  all  our  knowledge  of  geological  deposits  to 
suppose  that  an  ocean  basin  of  this  size,  which  must  have 
been  submerged  during  an  immensely  long  period  in  order 
to  accumulate  formations  of  such -a  thickness,  should  not 
contain  numerous  remains  of  the  animals  formerly  inhab- 
iting it.*  The  only  fossil  remains  of  any  kind  truly  belong- 
ing to  it,  which  I have  found  in  the  formation,  are  leaves 
taken  from  the  lower  clays  on  the  banks  of  the  Solimoens 
at  Tonantins ; and  these  show  a vegetation  similar  in 
general  character  to  that  which  prevails  there  to-day. 
Evidently,  then,  this  basin  was  a fresh-water  basin;  these 
deposits  are  fresh-water  deposits.  But  as  the  valley  of 

* I am  aware  that  Bates  mentions  having  heard  that  at  Obydos  cal- 
careous layers,  thickly  studded  with  marine  shells,  had  been  found  interstrat- 
ified  with  the  clay,  but  he  did  not  himself  examine  the  strata.  The  Obydos 
shells  are  not  marine,  but  are  fresh-water  Unios,  greatly  resembling  Aviculas, 
Solens,  and  Areas.  Such  would-be  marine  fossils  have  been  brought  to  me 
from  the  shore  opposite  to  Obydos,  near  Santarem,  and  I have  readily  rec- 
ognized them  for  what  they  truly  are, — fresh-water  shells  of  the  family  of 
Naiades.  I have  myself  collected  specimens  of  these  shells  in  the  clay-beds 
along  the  banks  of  the  Solimoens,  near  Teffe,  and  might  have  mistaken 
them  for  fossils  of  that  formation  had  I not  known  how  Naiades  burrow  in 
the  mud.  Their  resemblance  to  the  marine  genera  mentioned  above  is  very 
remarkable,  and  the  mistake  as  to  their  true  zoological  character  is  as  nat- 
ural as  that  by  which  earlier  ichthyologists,  and  even  travellers  of  very  recent 
date,  have  confounded  some  fresh-water  fishes  from  the  Upper  Amazons,  of 
the  genus  Pterophyllum  (Heckel),  with  the  marine  genus  Platax. 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


425 


the  Amazons  exists  to-day,  it  is  widely  cpen  to  the  ocean 
on  the  east,  with  a gentle  slope  from  the  Andes  to  the 
Atlantic,  determining  a powerful  seaward  current.  When 
these  vast  accumulations  took  place,  the  basin  must  have 
been  closed  ; otherwise  the  loose  materials  would  constantly 
have  been  carried  down  to  the  ocean. 

It  is  my  belief  that  all  these  deposits  belong  to  the  ice- 
period  in  its  earlier  or  later  phases,  and  to  this  cosmic 
winter,  which,  judging  from  all  the  phenomena  connected 
with  it,  may  have  lasted  for  thousands  of  centuries,  we  must 
look  for  the  key  to  the  geological  history  of  the  Amazonian 
Valley.  I am  aware  that  this  suggestion  will  appear  extrav- 
agant. But  is  it,  after  all,  so  improbable  that,  when  Central 
Europe  was  covered  with  ice  thousands  of  feet  thick ; when 
the  glaciers  of  Great  Britain  ploughed  into  the  sea,  and 
when  those  of  the  Swiss  mountains  had  ten  times  their 
present  altitude  ; when  every  lake  in  Northern  Italy  was 
filled  with  ice,  and  these  frozen  masses  extended  even  into 
Northern  Africa ; when  a sheet  of  ice,  reaching  nearly 
to  the  summit  of  Mount  Washington  in  the  White  Moun- 
tains (that  is,  having  a thickness  of  nearly  six  thousand 
feet),  moved  over  the  continent  of  North  America,  — is 
it  so  improbable  that,  in  this  epoch  of  universal  cold, 
the  valley  of  the  Amazons  also  had  its  glacier  poured 
down  into  it  from  the  accumulations  of  snow  in  the  Cor- 
dilleras, and  swollen  laterally  by  the  tributary  glaciers 
descending  from  the  table-lands  of  Guiana  and  Brazil  ? 
The  movement  of  this  immense  glacier  must  have  been 
eastward,  determined  as  well  by  the  vast  reservoirs  of  snow 
in  the  Andes  as  by  the  direction  of  the  valley  itself.  It 
must  have  ploughed  the  valley-bottom  over  and  over  again, 
grinding  all  the  materials  beneath  it  into  a fine  powdor 


426 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


or  reducing  them  to  small  pebbles,  and  it  must  have 
accumulated  at  its  lower  end  a moraine  of  proportions 
as  gigantic  as  its  own  ; thus  building  a colossal  sea-wall 
across  the  mouth  of  the  valley.  I shall  be  asked  at  once 
whether  I have  found  here  also  the  glacial  inscriptions, 
— the  furrows,  striae,  and  polished  surfaces  so  character- 
istic of  the  ground  over  which  glaciers  have  travelled. 
I answer,  not  a trace  of  them ; for  the  simple  reason  that 
there  is  not  a natural  rock-surface  to  be  found  through- 
out the  whole  Amazonian  Valley.  The  rocks  themselves 
are  of  so  friable  a nature,  and  the  decomposition  caused 
by  the  warm  torrential  rains  and  by  exposure  to  the 
burning  sun  of  the  tropics  so  great  and  unceasing,  that 
it  is  hopeless  to  look  for  marks  which  in  colder  climates 
and  on  harder  substances  are  preserved  through  ages  un- 
changed. With  the  exception  of  the  rounded  surfaces 
so  well  known  in  Switzerland  as  the  roches  moutonnees 
heretofore  alluded  to,  which  may  be  seen  in  many  locali- 
ties, and  the  boulders  of  Erere,  the  direct  traces  of  gla- 
ciers as  seen  in  other  countries  are  wanting  in  Brazil. 
I am,  indeed,  quite  willing  to  admit  that,  from  the  nature 
of  the  circumstances,  I have  not  here  the  positive  evidence 
which  has  guided  me  in  my  previous  glacial  investigations. 
My  conviction  in  this  instance  is  founded,  first,  on  the 
materials  in  the  Amazonian  Valley,  which  correspond 
exactly  in  their  character  to  materials  accumulated  in 
glacier  bottoms  ; secondly,  on  the  resemblance  of  the  upper 
or  third  Amazonian  formation  to  the  Rio  drift,*  of  the 

* As  I have  stated  in  the  beginning,  I am  satisfied  that  the  unstratified 
day  deposit  of  Rio  and  its  vicinity  is  genuine  glacial  drift,  resulting  from  the 
grinding  of  the  loose  materials  interposed  between  the  glacier  and  the  solid 
rock  in  place,  and  retaining  to  this  day  the  position  in  which  it  was  left  by  the 
ice.  Like  all  sucli  accumulations,  it  is  totally  free  from  stratification.  If  this 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


427 


glacial  origin  of  which  there  cannot,  in  my  opinion,  be  any 
doubt ; thirdly,  on  the  fact  that  this  fresh-water  basin  must 
have  been  closed  against  the  sea  by  some  powerful  barrier, 
the  removal  of  which  would  naturally  give  an  outlet  to 
the  waters,  and  cause  the  extraordinary  denudations,  the 
evidences  of  which  meet  us  everywhere  throughout  the 
valley. 

On  a smaller  scale,  phenomena  of  this  kind  have  long 
been  familiar  to  us.  In  the  present  lakes  of  Northern 
Italy,  in  those  of  Switzerland,  Norway,  and  Sweden,  as 
well  as  in  those  of  New  England,  especially  in  the  State  of 
Maine,  the  waters  are  held  back  in  their  basins  by  moraines. 
In  the  ice-period  these  depressions  were  filled  with  glaciers, 
which,  in  the  course  of  time,  accumulated  at  their  lower 
end  a wall  of  loose  materials.  These  walls  still  remain, 
and  serve  as  dams  to  prevent  the  escape  of  the  waters. 
But  for  their  moraines,  all  these  lakes  would  be  open 
valleys.  In  the  Hoads  of  Glen  Boy,  in  Scotland,  we  have 

be  so,  it  is  evident,  on  comparing  the  two  formations,  that  the  ochraceous 
sandy  clay  of  the  valley  of  the  Amazons  has  been  deposited  under  different 
circumstances ; that,  while  it  owes  its  resemblance  to  the  Rio  drift  to  the  fact 
that  its  materials  were  originally  ground  by  glaciers  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
valley,  these  materials  have  subsequently  been  spi'ead  throughout  the  whole 
basin  and  actually  deposited  under  the  agency  of  water.  A survey  of  the 
more  southern  provinces  of  Brazil,  extending  to  the  temperate  zone,  where  the 
combined  effects  of  a tropical  sun  and  of  tropical  rains  must  naturally  be  want- 
ing, will,  I trust,  remove  all  the  difficulties  still  attending  this  explanation. 
The  glacial  phenomena,  with  all  their  characteristic  features,  are  already  known 
to  cover  the  southernmost  parts  of  South  America.  The  intervening  range, 
between  22°  and  36°  of  south  latitude,  cannot  fail  to  exhibit  the  transition 
from  the  drift  of  the  cold  and  temperate  zone  to  the  formations  of  a kindred 
character  described  above  from  the  tropical  zone.  The  knowledge  of  these  de- 
posits will  definitely  settle  the  question  ; and  either  prove  the  correctness  of  my 
generalizations  or  show  their  absurdity.  I feel  no  anxiety  as  to  the  result.  I 
only  long  for  a speedy  removal  of  all  doubts. 


428 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


an  instance  of  a fresli-water  lake,  which  has  now  wholly 
disappeared,  formed  in  the  same  manner,  and  reduced  suc- 
cessively to  lower  and  lower  levels  hy  the  breaking  down  or 
wearing  away  of  the  moraines  which  originally  prevented 
its  waters  from  flowing  out.  Assuming  then  that,  under 
the  low  temperature  of  the  ice-period,  the  climatic  condi- 
tions necessary  for  the  formation  of  land-ice  existed  in  the 
valley  of  the  Amazons,  and  that  it  was  actually  filled  with 
an  immense  glacier,  it  follows  that,  when  these  fields  of  ice 
yielded  to  a gradual  change  of  climate,  and  slowly  melted 
away,  the  whole  basin,  then  closed  against  the  sea  by  a 
huge  wall  of  debris , was  transformed  into  a vast  fresh- 
water lake.  The  first  effect  of  the  thawing  process  must- 
have  been  to  separate  the  glacier  from  its  foundation,  rais- 
ing it  from  immediate  contact  with  the  valley  bottom,  and 
thus  giving  room  for  the  accumulation  of  a certain  amount 
of  water  beneath  it ; while  the  valley  as  a whole  would  still 
he  occupied  by  the  glacier.  In  this  shallow  sheet  of  water 
under  the  ice,  and  protected  by  it  from  any  violent  disturb- 
ance, those  finer  triturated  materials  always  found  at  a 
glacier  bottom,  and  ground  sometimes  to  powder  by  its 
action,  would  be  deposited,  and  gradually  transformed  from 
an  unstratified  paste  containing  the  finest  sand  and  mud, 
together  with  coarse  pebbles  and  gravel,  into  a regularly 
stratified  formation.  In  this  formation  the  coarse  materials 
would  of  course  fall  to  the  bottom,  while  the  most  minute 
would  settle  above  them.  It  is  at  this  time  and  under 
such  circumstances  that  I believe  the  first  formation  of 
the  Amazonian  Yalley,  with  the  coarse,  pebbly  sand  beneath, 
and  the  finely  laminated  clays  above,  to  have  been  accu- 
mulated. 

I shall  perhaps  be  reminded  here  of  my  fossil  leaves, 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


429. 


and  asked  liow  any  vegetation  would  be  possible  under 
such  circumstances.  But  it  must  be  remembered,  that, 
in  considering  all  these  periods,  we  must  allow  for  im- 
mense lapses  of  time  and  for  very  gradual  changes ; that 
the  close  of  this  first  period  would  be  very  different  from 
its  beginning ; and  that  a rich  vegetation  springs  on  the 
very  borders  of  the  snow  and  ice  fields  in  Switzerland. 
The  fact  that  these  were  accumulated  in  a glacial  basin 
would,,  indeed,  at  once  account  for  the  traces  of  vegeta- 
ble life,  and  for  the  absence,  or  at  least  the  great  scarcity, 
of  animal  remains  in  these  deposits.  For  while  fruits 
may  ripen  and  flowers  bloom  on  the  very  edge  of  the 
glaciers,  it  is  also  well  known  that  the  fresh-water  lakes 
formed  by  the  melting  of  the  ice  are  singularly  deficient 
in  -life.  There  are,  indeed,  hardly  any  animals  to  be  found 
in  glacial  lakes. 

The  second  formation  belongs  to  a later  period,  when, 
the  whole  body  of  ice  being  more  or  less  disintegrated, 
the  basin  contained  a larger  quantity  of  water.  Beside 
that  arising  from  the  melting  of  the  ice,  this  immense 
valley  bottom  must  have  received,  then  as  now,  all  which 
was  condensed  from  the  atmosphere  above,  and  poured  into 
it  in  the  form  of  rain  or  dew  at  present.  Thus  an  amount 
.of  water  equal  to  that  flowing  in  from  all  the  tributaries 
of  the  main  stream  must  have  been  rushing  towards  the 
axis  of  the  valley,  seeking  its  natural  level,  but  spreading 
over  a more  extensive  surface  than  now,  until,  finally 
gathered  up  as  separate  rivers,  it  flowed  in  distinct  beds. 
In  its  general  movement  toward  the  central  and  lower 
part  of  the  valley,  the  broad  stream  would  carry  along 
all  the  materials  small  enough  to  be  so  transported,  as 
well  as  those  so  minute  as  to  remain  suspended  in  the 


430 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


waters.  It  would  gradually  deposit  them  in  the  valley 
bottom  in  horizontal  beds  more  or  less  regular,  or  here 
and  there,  wherever  eddies  gave  rise  to  more  rapid  and 
irregular  currents,  characterized  by  torrential  stratification. 
Thus  has  been  consolidated  in  the  course  of  ages  the 
continuous  sand  formation  spreading  over  the  whole  Ama- 
zonian basin,  and  attaining  a thickness  of  eight  hundred 
feet. 

While  these  accumulations  were  taking  place  within 
this  basin,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  sea  was  beat- 
ing against  its  outer  wall,  — against  that  gigantic  moraine 
which  I suppose  to  have  closed  it  at  its  eastern  end. 
It  would  seem  that,  either  from  this  'cause,  or  perhaps  in 
consequence  of  some  turbulent  action  from  within,  a 
break  was  made  in  this  defence,  and  the  waters  rushed 
violently  out.  It  is  very  possible  that  the  waters,  gradu- 
ally swollen  at  the  close  of  this  period  by  the  further 
melting  of  the  ice,  by  the  additions  poured  in  from  lateral 
tributaries,  by  the  rains,  and  also  by  the  filling  of*  the  basin 
with  loose  materials,  would  overflow,  and  thus  contribute 
to  destroy  the  moraine.  However  this  may  be,  it  follows 
from  my  premises  that,  in  the  end,  these  waters  obtained 
a sudden  release,  and  poured  seaward  with  a violence 
which  cut  and  denuded  the  deposits  already  formed,  wear- 
ing them  down  to  a much  lower  level,  and  leaving  only  a 
few  remnants  standing  out  in  their  original  thickness, 
where  the  strata  were  solid  enough  to  resist  the  action 
of  the  currents.  Such  are  the  hills  of  Monte  Alegre,  of 
Obydos,  Almeyrim,  and  Cupati,  as  well  as  the  lower  ridges 
of  Santarem.  This  escape  of  the  waters  did  not,  however, 
entirely  empty  the  whole  basin  ; for  the  period  of  denuda- 
tion was  again  followed  by  one  of  quiet  accumulation, 


PHYSICAL  HISTOEY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


43f 


during  which  was  deposited  the  ochraceous  sandy  clay 
resting  upon  the  denudated  surfaces  of  the  underlying 
sandstone.  To  this  period  I refer  the  boulders  of  Erer6, 
sunk  as  they  are  in  the  clay  of  this  final  deposit.  I sup- 
pose them  to  have  been  brought  to  their  present  position 
by  floating  ice  at  the  close  of  the  glacial  period,  when 
nothing  remained  of  the  ice-fields  except  such  isolated 
masses,  — ice-rafts  as  it  were  ; or  perhaps  by  icebergs 
dropped  into  the  basin  from  glaciers  still  remaining  in 
the  Andes  and  on  the  edges  of  the  plateaus  of  Guiana 
and  Brazil.  From  the  general  absence  of  stratification 
in  this  clay  formation,  it  would  seem  that  the  compar- 
atively shallow  sheet  of  water  in  which  it  was  deposited 
was  very  tranquil.  Indeed,  after  the  waters  had  sunk 
much  below  the  level  which  they  held  during  the  deposi- 
tion of  the  sandstone,  and  the  currents  which  gave  rise 
to  the  denudation  of  the  latter  had  ceased,  the  whole  sheet 
of  water  would  naturally  become  much  more  placid.  But 
the  time  arrived  when  the  water  broke  through  its  boun- 
daries again,  perhaps  owing  to  the  further  encroachment 
of  the  sea  and  consequent  destruction  of  the  moraine.* 
In  this  second  drainage,  however,  the  waters,  carrying 
away  a considerable  part-  of  the  new  deposit,  furrowing 
it  to  its  very  foundation,  and  even  cutting  through  it 
into  the  underlying  sandstone,  were,  in  the  end,  reduced 
to  something  like  their  present  level,  and  confined  within 
their  present  beds.  This  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  in 
this  ochre-colored  clay,  and  penetrating  to  a greater  or 
less  depth  the  sandstone  below,  are  dug,  not  only  the  great 

* I would  here  remind  the  reader  of  the  terraces  of  Glen  Roy,  which  indicate 
successive  reductions  of  the  barrier  encasing  the  lake,  similar  to  th<  se  assumed 
to  have  taken  place  at  the  mouth  of  the  Amazons. 


482 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


longitudinal  channel  of  the  Amazons  itself,  but  also  the 
lateral  furrows  through  which  its  tributaries  reach  the 
main  stream,  and  the  network  of  anastomosing  branches 
flowing  between  them ; the  whole  forming  the  most  ex 
traordinary  river  system  in  the  world. 

My  assumption  that  the  sea  has  produced  very  extensive 
changes  in  the  coast  of  Brazil  — changes  more  than  suffi- 
cient to  account  for  the  disappearance  of  the  glacial  wall 
which  I suppose  to  have  closed  the  Amazonian  Yalley  in  the 
ice  period  — is  by  no  means  hypothetical.  This  action  is 
still  going  on  to  a remarkable  degree,  and  is  even  now  rapid- 
ly modifying  the  outline  of  the  shore.  When  I first  arrived 
at  Para,  I was  struck  with  the  fact  that  the  Amazons,  the' 
largest  river  in  the  world,  has  no  delta.  All  the  other  riv- 
ers which  we  call  great,  though  some  of  them  are  insignifi- 
cant as  compared  with  the  Amazons,  — the  Mississippi, 
the  Nile,  the  Ganges,  and  the  Danube,  — deposit  extensive 
deltas,  and  the  smaller  rivers  also,  with  few  exceptions,  are 
constantly  building  up  the  land  at  their  mouths  by  the  ma- 
terials they  bring  along  with  them.  Even  the  little  river 
Kander,  emptying  into  the  lake  of  Thun,  is  not  without  its 
delta.  Since  my  return  from  the  Upper  Amazons  to  PaiA, 
I have  made  an  examination  of  some  of  the  harbor  islands, 
and  also  of  parts  of  the  coast,  and  have  satisfied  myself  that, 
with  the  exception  of  a few  small,  low  islands,  never  rising 
above  the  sea-level,  and  composed  of  alluvial  deposit,  they 
are  portions  of  the  main-land  detached  from  it,  partly  by  the 
action  of  the  river  itself,  and  partly  by  the  encroachment  of 
the  ocean.  In  fact,  the  sea  is  eating  away  the  land  much 
faster  than  the  river  can  build  it  up.  The  great  island  of 
Marajo  was  originally  a continuation  of  the  valley  of  the 
Amazons,  and  is  identical  with  it  in  every  detail  of  its  geo- 


PHYSICAL  HISTOEY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


433 


logical  structure.  My  investigation  of  the  island  itself,  in 
connection  with  the  coast  and  the  river,  leads  me  to  suppose 
that,  having  been  at  one  time  an  integral  part  of  the  deposits 
described  above,  at  a later  period  it  became  an  island  in  the 
bed  of  the  Amazons,  which,  dividing  in  two  arms,  encircled 
it  completely,  and  then,  joining  again  to  form  a single 
stream,  flowed  onward  to  the  sea-shore,  which  in  those  days 
lay  much  farther  to  the  eastward  than  it  now  does.  I sup- 
pose the  position  of  the  island  of  Marajo  at  that  time  to  have 
corresponded  very  nearly  to  the  present  position  of  the  island 
of  Tupiriambaranas,  just  at  the  junction  of  the  Madeira  with 
the  Amazons.  It  is  a question  among  geographers  whether 
the  Tocantins  is  a branch  of  the  Amazons,  or  should  be  con- 
sidered as  forming  an  independent  river  system.  It  will  be 
seen  that,  if  my  view  is  correct,  it  must  formerly  have  borne 
the  same  relation  to  the  Amazons  that  the  Madeira  River 
now  does,  joining  it  just  where  Marajo  divided  the  main 
stream,  as  the  Madeira  now  joins  it  at  the  head  of  the  island 
of  Tupinambaranas.  If  in  countless  centuries  to  come  the 
ocean  should  continue  to  eat  its  way  into  the  Yalley  of  the 
Amazons,  once  more  transforming  the  lower  part  of  the 
basin  into  a gulf,  as  it  was  during  the  cretaceous  period, 
the  time'  might  arrive  when  geographers,  finding  the  Ma- 
deira emptying  almost  immediately  into  the  sea,  would  ask 
themselves  whether  it  had  ever  been  indeed  a branch  of  the 
Amazons,  just  as  they  now  question  whether  the  Tocantins 
* is  a tributary  of  the  main  stream  or  an  independent  river. 
But  to  return  to  Marajo,  and  to  the  facts  actually  in  our 
possession.  * 

The  island  is  intersected,  in  its  southeastern  end,  by  a 
considerable  river  called  the  Igarapd  Grande.  The  cut 
made  through  the  land  by  this  stream  seems  intended  to 

19 


BB 


434 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


serve  as  a geological  section,  so  perfectly  does  it  display 
the  three  characteristic  Amazonian  formations  above  de- 
scribed. At  its  mouth,  near  the  town  of  Soure,  and  at  Sal- 
vaterra,  on  the  opposite  bank,  may  be  seen,  lowest,  the  well- 
stratified  sandstone,  with  the  finely  laminated  clays  resting 
upon  it,  overtopped  by  a crust ; then  the  cross-stratified, 
highly  ferruginous  sandstone,  with  quartz  pebbles  here  and 
there ; and,  above  all,  the  well-known  ochraceous,  unstrati- 
fied sandy  clay,  spreading  over  the  undulating  surface  of 
the  denudated  sandstone,  following  all  its  inequalities,  and 
filling  all  its  depressions  and  furrows.  But  while  the  Iga- 
rapd  Grande  has  dug  its  channel  down  to  the  sea,  cutting 
these  formations,  as  I ascertained,  to  a depth  of  twenty-five 
fathoms,  it  has  thus  opened  the  way  for  the  encroachments 
of  the  tides,  and  the  ocean  is  now,  in  its  turn,  gaining  upon 
the  land.  Were  there  no  other  evidence  of  the  action ’of  the 
tides  in  this  locality,  the  steep  cut  of  the  Igarape  Grande, 
contrasting  with  the  gentle  slope  of  the  banks  near  its  mouth, 
wherever  they  have  been  modified  by  the  invasion  of  the  sea, 
would  enable  us  to  distinguish  the  work  of  the  river  from 
that  of  the  ocean,  and  to  prove  that  the  denudation  now  go- 
ing on  is  due  in  part  to  both.  But  besides  this,  I was  so 
fortunate  as  to  discover,  on  my  recent  excursion,  unmistak- 
able and  perfectly  convincing  evidence  of  the  onward  move- 
ment of  the  sea.  At  the  mouth  of  the  Igarap6  Grande,  both 
at  Sour 6 and  at  Salvaterra,  on  the  southern  side  of  the  Iga- 
rape, is  a submerged  forest.  Evidently  this  forest  grew  in 
one  of  those  marshy  lands  constantly  inundated,  for  between 
the  stumps  is  accumulated  the  loose,  felt-like  peat  character- 
istic of  such  grounds,  and  containing  about  as  much  mud 
as  vegetable  matter.  Such  a marshy  forest,  with  the  stumps 
of  the  trees  still  standing  erect  in  the  peat,  has  been  laid 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


435 


bare  on  both  sides  of  the  Igarapd  Grande  by  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  ocean.  * That  this  is  the  work  of  the  sea  is  un- 
deniable, for  all  the  little  depressions  and  indentations  of  the 
peat  are  filled  with  sea-sand,  and  a ridge  of  tidal  sandtclivides 
it  from  the  forest  still  standing  behind.  Nor  is  this  all.  At 
Yigia,  immediately  opposite  to  Sour6,  on  the  continental 
side  of  the  Par&  River,  just  where  it  meets  the  sea,  we  have 
the  counterpart  of  this  submerged  forest.  Another  peat-bog, 
with  the  stumps  of  innumerable  trees  standing  in  it,  and 
encroached  upon  in  the  same  way  by  tidal  sand,  is  exposed 
here  also.  No  doubt  these  forests  were  once  all  continuous, 
and  stretched  across  the  whole  basin  of  what  is  now  called 
the  Pard  River. 

Since  I have  been  pursuing  this  inquiry,  I have  gathered 
much  information  to  the  same  effect  from  persons  living  on 
the  coast.  It  is  well  remembered  that,  twenty  years  ago, 
there  existed  an  island,  more  than  a mile  in  width,  to  the 
northeast  of  the  entrance  of  the  Bay  of  Yigia,  which  has 
now  entirely  disappeared.  Farther  eastward,  the  Bay  of 
Braganza  has  doubled  its  width  in  the  last  twenty  years, 
and  on  the  shore,  within  the  bay,  the  sea  has  gained  upon 
the  land'  for  a distance  of  two  hundred  yards  during  a 
period  of  only  ten  years.  The  latter  fact  is  ascertained 
by  the  position  of  some  houses,  which  were  two  hundred 
yards  farther  from  the  sea  ten  years  ago  than  they  now 
are.  From  these  and  the  like  reports,  from  my  own  ob- 
servations on  this  part  of  the  Brazilian  coast,  from  some 
investigations  made  by  Major  Coutinho  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Amazons  on  its  northern  continental  shore  near  Ma- 
capa,  and  from  the  reports  of  Mr.  St.  John  respecting  the 
formations  in  the  valley  of  the  Paranahyba,  it  is  my  belief 
that  the  changes  I have  been  describing  are  but  a small 


m 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


part  of  the  destruction  wrought  by  the  sea  on  the  north- 
eastern shore  of  this  continent.  I think  it  will  be  found, 
when  the  coast  has  been  fully  surveyed,  that  a strip  of 
land  upt  less  than  a hundred  leagues  in  width,  stretching 
from  Cape  St.  Roque  to  the  northern  extremity  of  South 
America,  has  been  eaten  away  by  the  ocean.  If  this  be 
so,  the  Paranahyba  and  the  rivers  to  the  northwest  of  it, 
in  the  province  of  Maranham,  were  formerly  tributaries 
of  the  Amazons ; and  all  that  we  know  thus  far  of  their 
geological  character  goes  to  prove  that  this  was  actually 
the  case.  Such  an  extensive  oceanic  denudation  must 
have  carried  away  not  only  the  gigantic  glacial  moraine 
here  assumed  to  have  closed  the  mouth  of  the  Amazonian 
basin,  but  the  very  ground  on  which  it  formerly  stood. 
Although  the  terminal  moraine  has  disappeared,  there  is, 
however,  no  reason  why  parts  of  the  lateral  moraines 
should  not  remain.  And  I expect  in  my  approaching 
visit  to  Ceard  to  find  traces  of  the  southern  lateral  mo- 
raine in  that  neighborhood. 

During  the  last  four  or  five  years  I have  been  engaged  in 
a series  of  investigations,  in  the  United  States,  upon  the 
subject  of  the  denudations  connected  with  the  close  of  the 
glacial  period  there,  and  the  encroachments  of  the  ocean 
upon  the  drift  deposits  along  the  Atlantic  coast.  Had 
these  investigations  been  published  in  detail,  with  the  ne- 
cessary maps,  it  would  have  been  far  easier  for  me  to 
explain  the  facts  I have  lately  observed  in  the  Amazonian 
Valley,  to  connect  them  with  facts,  of  a like  character  on 
the  continent  of  North  America,  and  to  show  how  re- 
markably they  correspond  with  facts  accomplished  during 
the  same  period  in  other  parts  of  the  world.  While  the 
glacial  epoch  itself  has  been  very  extensively  studied  in 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


437 


tho  last  half-century,  little  attention  has  been  paid  to 
the  results  connected  with  the  breaking  up  of  the  geo- 
logical winter  and  the  final  disappearance  of  the  ice.  I 
believe  that  the  true  explanation  of  the  presence  of  a 
large  part  of  the  superficial  deposits  lately  ascribed  to 
the  agency  of  the  sea,  during  temporary  subsidences  of 
the  land,  will  be  found  in  the  melting  of  the  ice-fields. 
To  this  cause  I would  refer  all  those  deposits  which  I 
have  designated  as  remodelled  drift.  When  the  sheet  of 
ice,  extending  from  the  Arctic  regions  over  a great  part 
of  North  America  and  coming  down  to  the  sea,  slowly 
melted  away,  the  waters  were  not  distributed  over  the 
face  of  the  country  as  they  now  are.  They  rested  upon 
the  bottom  deposits  of  the  ice-fields,  upon  the  glacial  paste, 
consisting  of  clay,  sand,  pebbles,  boulders,  etc.,  underlying 
the  ice.  This  bottom  deposit  did  not,  of  course,  present 
an  even  surface,  but  must  have  had  extensive  undulations 
and  depressions.  After  the  waters  had  been  drained  off 
from  the  more  elevated  ridges,  these  depressions  would 
still  remain  full.  In  the  lakes  and  pools  thus  formed, 
stratified  deposits  would  be  accumulated,  consisting  of  the 
most  minutely  comminuted  clay,  deposited  in  thin  lami- 
nated layers,  or  sometimes  in  considerable  masses,  without 
any  sign  of  stratification  ; such  differences  in  the  formation 
being  determined  by  the  state  of  the  water,  whether  per- 
fectly stagnant  or  more  or  less  agitated.  Of  such  pool 
deposits  overlying  the  drift  there  are  many  instances  in 
the  Northern  United  States.  By  the  overflowing  of  some 
of  these  lakes,  and  by  the  emptying  of  the  higher  ones 
into  those  on  a lower  level,  channels  would  gradually  be 
formed  between  the  depressions.  So  began  to  be  marked 
out  our  independent  river-systems,  — the  waters  always 


438 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


seeking  their  natural  level,  gradually  widening  and  deep- 
ening the  channels  in  which  they  flowed,  as  they  worked 
their  way  down  to  the  sea.  When  they  reached  the  shore, 
there  followed  that  antagonism  between  the  rush  of  the 
rivers  and  the  action  of  the  tides,  — between  continental 
outflows  and  oceanic  encroachments,  — which  still  goes  on, 
and  has  led  to  the  formation  of  our  Eastern  rivers,  with 
their  wide,  open  estuaries,  such  as  the  James,  the  Potomac, 
and  the  Delaware.  All  these  estuaries  are  embanked  by 
drift,  as  are  also,  in  their  lower  course,  the  rivers  con- 
nected with  them.  Where  the  country  was  low  and  flat, 
and  the  drift  extended  far  into  the  ocean,  the  encroach- 
ment of  the  sea  gave  rise,  not  only  to  our  large  estuaries, 
but  also  to  the  sounds  and  deep  bays  forming  the  most 
prominent  indentations  of  the  continental  coast,  such  as 
the  Bay  of  Fundy,  Massachusetts  Bay,  Long  Island  Sound, 
and  others.  The  unmistakable  traces  of  glacial  action  upon 
all  the  islands  along  the  coast  of  New  England,  sometimes 
lying  at  a very  considerable  distance  from  the  main-land, 
give  an  approximate,  though  a minimum,  measure  of  the 
former  extent  of  the  glacial  drift  seaward,  and  the  sub- 
sequent advance  of  the  ocean  upon  the  land.  Like  those 
of  the  harbor  of  Para,  all  these  islands  have  the  same 
geological  structure  as  the  continent,  and  were  evidently 
continuous  with  it  at  some  former  period.  All  the  rocky  isl- 
ands along  the  coast  of  Maine  and  Massachusetts  exhibit 
the  glacial  traces  wherever  their  surfaces  are  exposed  by  the 
washing  away  of  the  drift ; and  where  the  drift  remains, 
its  character  shows  that  it  was  once  continuous  from  one 
island  to  another,  and  from  all  the  islands  to  the  main-land. 

It  is  difficult  to  determine  with  precision  the  ancient 
limit  of  the  glacial  drift,  but  I think  it  can  be  shown 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


439 


that  it  connected  the  shoals  of  Newfoundland  with  the 
continent ; that  Nantucket,  Martha’s  Vineyard,  and  Long 
Island  made  part  of  the  main-land ; that,  in  like  manner 
Nova  Scotia,  including  Sable  Island,  was  united  to  the 
southern  shore  of  New  Brunswick  and  Maine,  and  that 
the  same  sheet  of  drift  extended  thence  to  Cape  Cod, 
and  stretched  southward  as  far  as  Cape  Hatteras ; — in 
short,  that  the  line  of  shallow  soundings  along  the  whole 
coast  of  the  United  States  marks  the  former  extent  of 
glacial  drift.  The  ocean  has  gradually  eaten  its  way  into 
this  deposit,  and  given  its  present  outlines  to  the  conti- 
nent. These  denudations  of  the  sea  no  doubt  began  as 
soon  as  the  breaking  up  of  the  ice  exposed  the  drift  to 
its  invasion  ; in  other  words,  at  a time  when  colossal 
glaciers  still  poured  forth  their  load  of  ice  into  the  At- 
lantic, and  fleets  of  icebergs,  far  larger  and  more  numer- 
ous than  those  now  floated  off  from  the  Arctic  seas, 
were  launched  from  the  northeastern  shore  of  the  United 
States.  Many  such  masses  must  have  stranded  along  the 
shore,  and  have  left  various  signs  of  their  presence.  In 
fact,  the  glacial  phenomena  of  the  United  States  and 
elsewhere  are  due  to  two  distinct  periods  : the  first  of 
these  was  the  glacial  epoch  proper,  when  the  ice  was  a 
solid  sheet ; while  to  the  second  belongs  the  breaking  up 
of  this  epoch,  with  the  gradual  disintegration  and  disper- 
sion of  the  ice.  We  talk  of  the  theory  of  glaciers  and 
the  theory  of  icebergs  in  reference  to  these  phenomena, 
as  if  they  were  exclusively  due  to  one  or  the  other,  and 
whoever  accepted  the  former  must  reject  the  latter,  and 
vice  versa.  When  geologists  have  combined  these  now 
discordant  elements,  and  consider  these  two  periods  as 
consecutive,  — part  of  the  phenomena  being  due  to  the 


440 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


glaciers,  part  to  the  icebergs  and  to  freshets  consequent  on 
their  breaking  up,  — they  will  find  that  they  have  covered 
the  whole  ground,  and  that  the  two  theories  are  perfectly 
consistent  with  each  other.  I think  the  present  disputes 
upon  this  subject  will  end  somewhat  like  those  which  di- 
vided the  Neptunic  and  Plutonic  schools  of  geologists  in 
the  early  part  of  this  century ; the  former  of  whom  would 
have  it  that  all  the  rocks  were  due  to  the  action  of  water, 
the  latter  that  they  were  wholly  due  to  the  action  of  fire. 
The  problem  was  solved,  and  harmony  restored,  when  it 
was  found  that  both  elements  have  been  equally  at  work 
in  forming  the  solid  crust  of  the  globe.  To  the  stranded 
icebergs  alluded  to  above,  I have  no  doubt,  is  to  be  re-1 
ferred  the  origin  of  the  many  lakes  without  outlets  ex- 
isting all  over  the  sandy  tract  along  our  coast,  of  which 
Cape  Cod  forms  a part.  Not  only  the  formation  of  these 
lakes,  but  also  that  of  our  salt  marshes  and  cranberry- 
fields,  I believe  to  be  connected  with  the  waning  of  the 
ice  period. 

I hope  at  some  future  time  to  publish  in  detail,  with 
the  appropriate  maps  and  illustrations,  my  observations 
upon  the  changes  of  our  coast,  and  other  phenomena  con- 
nected with  the  close  of  the  glacial  epoch  in  the  United 
States.  To  give  results  without  an  account  of  the  investi- 
gations which  have  led  to  them,  inverts  the  true  method 
of  science ; and  I should  not  have  introduced  the  subject 
here  except  to  show  that  the  fresh-water  denudations  and 
the  oceanic  encroachments  which  have  formed  the  Amazo- 
nian Valley,  with  its  river  system,  are  not  isolated  facts, 
but  that  the  process  has  been  the  same  in  both  continents. 
The  extraordinary  continuity  and  uniformity  of  the  Ama- 
zonian deposits  are  due  to  the  immense  size  of  the  basin 


PHYSICAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  AMAZONS. 


441 


enclosed,  and  the  identity  of  the  materials  contained 
in  it. 

A glance  at  any  geological  map  of  the  world  will  show 
the  reader  that  the  Yalley  of  the  Amazons,  so  far  as 
an  attempt  is  made  to  explain  its  structure,  is  repre- 
sented as  containing  isolated  tracts  of  Devonian,  Triassic, 
Jurassic,  cretaceous,  tertiary,  and  alluvial  deposits.  This 
is  wholly  inaccurate,  as  is  shown  by  the  above  sketch, 
and  whatever  may  be  thought  of  my  interpretation  of  the 
actual  phenomena,  I trust  that,  in  presenting  for  the  first 
time  the  formations  of  the  Amazonian  basin  in  their  natu- 
ral connection  and  sequence,  as  consisting  of  three  uniform 
sets  of  comparatively  recent  deposits,  extending  throughout 
the  whole  valley,  the  investigations  here  recorded  have  con- 
tributed something  to  the  results  of  modern  geology. 


442 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


CHAPTER  XI Y. 

CEARA. 


Leaving  Para.  — Farewell  to  the  Amazons.  — Ease  of  Travelling  oh 
the  Amazons..  — Rough  Passage.  — Arrival  at  Ceara.  — Difficulty 
of  Landing.  — Aspect  of  the  Town.  — Rainy  Season.  — Consequent 
Sickliness.  — Our  Purpose  in  stopping  at  Ceara.  — Repori  :f  Dr. 

. Felice  about  Moraines.  — Preparations  for  Journey  into  the  Inte- 
rior. — Difficulties  and  Delays  in  getting  off.  — On  the  Way.  — 
Night  at  Arancho.  — Bad  Roads.  — Carnauba  Palm.  — Arrival  at 
Monguba.  — Kind  Reception  by  Senhor  Franklin  de  Lima.  — Geology 
of  the  Region.  — Evening  Games  and  Amusements.  — Pacatuba.  — 
Traces  of  ancient  Glaciers.  — Serra  of  Aratanha.  — Climb  up  the1 
Serra.  — Hospitality  of  Senhor  da  Costa.  — Picturesque  Views.  — 
The  Sertao.  — Drought  and  Rains.  — Epidemics.  — Return  to  Mon- 
guba. — Detained  by  extraordinary  Rains.  — Return  to  Ceara.  — 
Overflowed  Roads.  — Difficulty  of  fording.  — Arrival  at  Ceara.  — 
Liberality  of  the  President  of  the  Province  toward  the  Expedi- 
tion. 

April  2d.  — Ceard.  We  left  Para  on  the  26th  of  March, 
In  the  evening,  feeling  for  the  first  time  that  we  were  indeed 
bidding  good  by  to  the  Amazons.  Our  ple,asant  voyages  on 
its  yellow  waters,  our  canoe  excursions  on  its  picturesque 
lakes  and  igarapes,  our  lingerings  in  its  palm-thatched  cot- 
tages, belonged  to  the  past ; except  in  memory,  our  Amazo- 
nian travels  were  over.  When  we  entered  upon  them,  what 
vague  anticipations,  what  visions  of  a new  and  interesting 
life,  not,  as  we  supposed,  without  its  dangers  and  anxieties, 
were  before  us.  So  little  is  known,  even  in  Brazil,  of  the 
Amazons,  that  we  could  obtain  only  very  meagre  and,  usually, 
rather  discouraging  information  concerning  our  projected 
journey.  In  Rio,  if  you  say  you  are  going  to  ascend  their 
great  river,  your  Brazilian  friends  look  at  you  with  compas- 
sionate wonder.  You  are  threatened  with  sickness,  with  in- 


cearA. 


443 


tolerable  heat,  with  the  absence  of  any  nourishing  food  or 
suitable  lodgings,  with  mosquitoes,  with  Jacares  and  wild 
Indians.  If  you  consult  a physician,  he  gives  you  a good 
supply  of  quinine,  and  tells  you  to  take  a dose  every  other 
day  as  a preventive  against  fever  and  chills ; so  that  if  you 
escape  intermittent  fever  you  are  at  least  sure  of  being  poi- 
soned by  a remedy  which,  if  administered  incautiously,  may 
cause  a disease  worse  than  the  one  it  cures.  It  will  take 
perhaps  from  the  excitement  and  novelty  of  Amazonian 
travelling  to  know  that  the  journey  from  Para  to  Tabatinga 
may  be  made  with  as  much  ease  as  a reasonable  traveller 
has  a right  to  expect,  though  of  course  not  without  some 
privations,  and  also  with  no  more  exposure  to  sickness  than 
the  traveller  incurs  in  any  hot  climate.  The  perils  and  ad- 
ventures which  attended  the  voyages  of  Spix  and  Martius, 
or  even  of  more  recent  travellers,  like  Castelnau,  Bates,  and 
Wallace,  are  no  longer  to  be  found  on  the  main  course  of 
the  Amazons,  though  they  are  met  at  every  step  on  its  great 
affluents.  On  the  Tocantins,  on  the  Madeira,  on  the  Purus, 
on  the  Rio  Negro,  the  Trombetas,  or  any  of  the  large  trib- 
utaries, the  traveller  must  still  work  his  way  slowly  up  in 
a canoe,  scorched  by  the  sun  or  drenched  by  the  rain ; sleep- 
ing on  the  beach,  hearing  the  cries  of  the  wild  animals  in 
the  woods  around  him,  and  waking  perhaps  in  the  morning, 
to  find  the  tracks  of  a tiger  in  unpleasant  proximity  to  his 
hammock.  But  along  the  course  of  the  Amazons  itself, 
these  days  of  romantic  adventure  and  hair-breadth  escapes 
are  over ; the  wild  beasts  of  the  forest  have  disappeared  be- 
fore the  puff  of  the  engine  ; the  canoe  and  the  encampment 
on  the  beach  at  night  have  given  place  to  the  prosaic  con- 
veniences of  the  steamboat.  It  is  no  doubt  true  of  the 
Amazons,  as  of  other  tropical  regions,  that  a long  residence 


444 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


may  reduce  the  vigor  of  the  constitution,  and  perhaps  make 
one  more  liable  to  certain  diseases ; but  during  our  journey 
of  eight  months  none  of  our  large  company  suffered  from 
any  serious  indisposition  connected  with  the  climate,  nor 
did  we  see  in  any  of  our  wanderings  as  many  indications  of 
intermittent  fever  as  are  to  be  met  constantly  on  our  West- 
ern rivers.  The  voyage  on  the  Amazons  proper  has  now 
become  accessible  to  all  who  are  willing  to  endure  heat  and 
mosquitoes  for  the  sake  of  seeing  the  greatest  river  in  the 
world,  and  the  magnificent  tropical  vegetation  along  its 
shores.  The  best  season  for  the  journey  is  from  the  close 
of  June  to  the  middle  of  November,  — July,  August,  Sep- 
tember, and  October  being  the  four  driest  months  of  the' 
year,  and  the  most  salubrious  throughout  that  region. 

We  had  a rough  and  boisterous  passage  from  Para  to 
Ceara,  with  unceasing  rain,  in  consequence  of  which  the 
decks  were  constantly  wet.  Indeed,  the  cabins  were  not 
free  from  water,  and  it  was  only  by  frequent  bailing  that 
the  floor  of  our  state-room  was  kept  tolerably  dry.  At 
Maranham  we  had  the  relief  of  a night  on  shore ; and  Mr. 
Agassiz  and  Major  Coutinho  profited  by  the  occasion  the 
following  morning  to  examine  the  geology  of  the  coast 
more  carefully  than  they  had  formerly  done.  They  found 
the  structure  identical  with  that  of  the  Amazonian  Valley, 
except  that  the  formations  were  more  worn  down  and  dis- 
turbed. We  arrived  before  Cear&  at  two  o’clock  on  Sat- 
urday, March  31st,  expecting  to  go  on  shore  at  once ; but 
the  sea  ran  high,  the  tide  was  unfavorable,  and  during  the 
day  not  even  a “jangada,”  those  singular  rafts  that  here 
take  the  place  of  boats,  ventured  out  to  our  steamer  as 
she  lay  rocking  in  the  surf.  Cear4  has  no  harbor,  and  the 
sea  drives  in  with  fearful  violence  on  the  long  sand -beach 


CEABA. 


445 


fronting  the  town,  making  it  impossible,  at  certain  states 
of  the  tide  and  in  stormy  weather,  for  any  boat  to  land, 
unless  it  be  one  of  these  jangadas  (catamarans),  over  which 
the  waves  break  without  swamping  them.  At  about  nine 
o’clock  in  the  evening  a custom-house  boat  came  out,  and, 
notwithstanding  the  lateness  of  the  hour  and  the  rough  sea, 
we  determined  to  go  on  shore,  for  we  were  told  that  in  the 
morning  the  tide  would  be  unfavorable,  and  if  the  wind 
continued  in  the  present  quarter  it  might  be  still  more  dif- 
ficult, if  not  impossible,  to  land.  It  was  not  without  some 
anxiety  that  I stood  waiting  my  turn  to  enter  the  boat ; for 
though  at  one  moment  it  rose,  on  the  swell  of  the  sea,  close 
to  the  stair,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  it  was  a couple  of 
yards  away.  Some  presence  of  mind  and  agility  were 
needed  in  order  to  make  the  leap  just  at  the  right  instant ; 
and  I was  glad  to  find  myself  in  the  boat  and  not  in  the 
water,  the  chances  being  about  even.  As  we  rode  in  over 
the  breakers,  the  boatmen  entertained  us  with  so  many  sto- 
ries of  the  difficulty  of  landing,  the  frequent  accidents,  and 
especially  of  one  which  had  occurred  a few  days  before  when 
three  Englishmen  had  been  drowned,  that  I began  to  think 
reaching  the  shore  must  be  more  perilous  than  leaving  the 
* hip.  As  we  approached  the  town  the  scene  was  not  with- 
out its  picturesque  charm.  The  moon,  struggling  through 
gray,  watery  clouds,  threw  a fitful  light  over  the  long  sand- 
beach,  on  which  the  crested  waves  were  driving  furiously. 
A number  of  laden  boats  were  tossing  in  the  surf,  and  the 
roar  of  the  breakers  mingled  with  the  cries  of  the  black 
porters,  as  they  waded  breast  high  through  the  water,  un- 
loading the  cargoes  and  carrying  their  burdens  to  the  shore 
on  their  heads.  We  were  landed  much  in  the  same  way, 
the  boatmen  carrying  us  over  the  surf.  This  is  the  ordi- 


446 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


nary  mode  of  embarking  or  landing  passengers  ; it  is  but 
rarely,  and  at  particular  states  of  the  tide,  that  it  is  pos- 
sible to  disembark  at  the  pier  which  has  been  thrown  out 
from  the  shore.  Major  Coutinho  had  written  to  a friend 
to  engage  lodgings  for  us,  and  we  found  a house  ready. 
I was  glad  to  sink  into  my  comfortable  hammock,  to  ex- 
change the  pitching  and  rolling  of  the  steamer  for  its  gentle 
rocking,  to  be  out  of  reach  of  the  hungry  waves,  and  yet  to 
hear  their  distant  rush  on  the  shore  as  I fell  asleep. 

The  next  morning  was  rainy,  but  in  the  afternoon  it 
cleared,  and  toward  evening  we  took  a long  drive  with  our 
host,  Dr.  Felice.  I like  the  aspect  of  Ceara.  I like  its 
wide,  well-paved,  cleanly  streets,  which  are  bright  with' 
color,  for  the  substantial  houses  on  either  side  are  of  many 
hues.  If  it  chance  to  be  a Sunday  or  a festa  day,  every 
balcony  is  filled  with  gayly-dressed  girls,  while  groups  of 
men  sit  smoking  and  talking  on  the  sidewalks  before  the 
doors.  This  town  has  not  the  stagnant,  inanimate  look  of 
many  Brazilian  towns.  It  tells  of  movement,  life,  pros- 
perity.* Beyond  the  city  the  streets  stretch  out  into  the 
campos,  bordered  on  its  inland  side  by  beautiful  serras  ; 
the  Serra  Grande  and  the  Serra  de  Baturite.  In  front 
of  the  city  stretches  the  broad  sand-beach,  and  the  mur- 
mur of  the  surf  comes  up  into  the  heart  of  the  town. 
It  seems  as  if,  so  lying  between  sea  and  mountain,  Ceard 
should  be  a healthy  place,  and  it  is  usually  so  reputed. 
But  at  this'  moment,  owing,  it  is  thought,  to  the  unusual 
continuance  of  the  dry  season  and  the  extraordinary  vio- 
lence of  the  rains,  now  that  they  have  begun,  the  town 

# The  prosperous  province  of  Ceara  has  found  in  Senator  Pompco  a worthy 
exponent  of  its  interests ; not  only  does  he  represent  the  province  at  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  hut,  by  the  publication  of  careful  statistics,  has  largely  contributed  to 
its  progress.  — L.  A. 


CEARA. 


447 


is  very  sickly.  Yellow-fever  is  prevalent,  and  there  have 
been  a good  many  deaths  from  it  recently,  though  it  is 
said  not  to  have  assumed  the  character  of  an  epidemic 
as  yet.  Still  more  fatal  is  the  malignant  dysentery,  which 
has  been  raging  both  in  town  and  country  for  the  last 
two  months. 

We  are  trying  to  hasten  the  arrangements  for  our  inland 
journey,  but  do  not  find  it  very  easy.  Mr.  Agassiz’s  object 
in  stopping  here  is  to  satisfy  himself  by  direct  investigation 
of  the  former  existence  of  glaciers  in  the  serras  of  this 
province,  and,  if  possible,  to  find  some  traces  of  the  south- 
ern lateral  moraine,  marking  the  limit  of  the  mass  of  ice 
which  he  supposes  to  have  filled  the  Amazonian  basin  in 
the  glacial  period.  In  the  Amazonian  Yalley  itself  he  has 
seen  that  all  the  geological  phenomena  are  connected  with 
the  close  of  the  glacial  period,  with  the  melting  of  the 
ice  and  the  immense  freshets  consequent  upon  its  disap- 
pearance. On  leaving  the  Amazons,  the  next  step  in  the 
investigation  was  to  seek  the  masses  of  loose  materials 
left  by  the  glacier  itself.  On  arriving  here  he  at  once 
made  inquiries  to  this  effect,  from  a number  of  persons 
who  have  travelled  a great  deal  in  the  province,  and  are 
therefore  familiar  with  its  features.  The  most  valuable 
information  he  has  obtained,  — valuable  from  the  fact, 
that  the  precision  with  which  it  is  given  shows  that  it 
may  be  relied  upon, — is  from  Dr.  Felice.  His  occupa- 
tion as  land-surveyor  has  led  him  to  travel  a great  deal 
in  the  region  of  the  Serra  Grande.  He  has  made  a valu- 
able map  of  this  portion  of  the  province,  and  he  tells  Mr. 
Agassiz  that  there  is  a wall  of  loose  materials,  boulders, 
stones,  Ac.,  running  from  east  to  west  for  a distance  of 
some  sixty  leagues  from  the  Rio  Aracaty-Assu  to  Bom  Jesu, 


448 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


a* 

in  tlie  Serra  Grande.  From  his  account,  this  wall  resem- 
bles greatly  the  “ Horsebacks  ” in  Maine,  those  remarkable 
ridges  accumulated  by  the  ancient  glaciers,  and  running 
sometimes  uninterruptedly  for  thirty  or  forty  miles.  The 
horsebacks  are,  however,  covered  with  soil  and  turf,  where- 
as Dr.  Felice  describes  this  wall  as  rough  and  bare.  Mr. 
Agassiz  has  no  doubt  that  this  accumulation  or  dike  of 
loose  materials,  the  position  and  direction  of  which  cor- 
responds exactly  with  his  conjecture  based  upon  the  evi- 
dence obtained  in  the  Amazonian  Yalley,  is  a portion  of 
the  lateral  moraine,  marking  the  southeastern  limit  of  the 
great  Amazonian  glacier.  Unhappily,  it  is  impossible  for 
him  to  visit  it  himself,  for  even  could  he  devote  the  time 
necessary  for  so  long  a journey  in  the  interior,  we  are 
told  that  at  this  season  the  state  of  the  roads  makes  it 
almost  impossible.  He  must  therefore  leave  the  iden- 
tification of  this  colossal  moraine  to  some  younger  and 
more  fortunate  investigator,  and  content  himself  with  a 
direct  examination  of  the  next  link  in  the  chain  of  evi- 
dence, namely,  the  traces  of  local  glaciers  in  the  serras  in 
the  more  immediate  neighborhood  of  Ceara.  If  the  basin 
of  the  Amazons  was  actually  filled  with  ice,  all  the  moun- 
tains lying  outside  of  its  limits  in  the  neighboring  provinces 
must  have  had  their  glaciers  also.  It  is  in  search  of  these 
local  glaciers  that  we  undertake  our  present  journey,  hoping 
to  reach  the  Serra  of  Baturite. 

April  6th.  — Pacatuba  (at  the  foot  of  the  Serra  of  Ara- 
tanha).  After  endless  delays  and  difficulties  about  horses, 
servants,  and  other  preparations  for  our  journey,  we  succeed- 
ed in  getting  off  on  the  afternoon  of  the  3d.  The  mode 
of  travelling  in  the  interior  as  well  as  the  character  of  the 
people,  makes  it  almost  impossible  to  accomplish  any  journey 


CEARA. 


449 


with  promptness  and  punctuality.  While  the  preparations 
for  our  excursion  were  going  on,  neighbors  and  acquaint- 
ances would  stroll  in  to  see  how  things  were  advancing ; one 
would  propose  that  we  should  postpone  our  departure  till 
the  day  after  to-morrow,  on  account  of  some  trouble  about 
the  horses  ; another  that  we  should  wait  a week  or  two 
tor  more  favorable  weather.  Evidently  it  did  not  occur  to 
any  one  that  it  could  be  of  much  importance  whether  we 
started  to-day  or  to-morrow,  or  next  week  or  next  month. 
The  lotus-eaters  in  the  “ land  in  which  it  seemed  always 
afternoon”  could  not  have  been  more  happily  indifferent 
to  the  passage  of  time.  Now  this  calm  superiority  to 
laws  obeyed  by  the  rest  of  mankind,  this  ignoring  of  the 
great  dictum  “ tempus  fugit ,”  is  rather  exasperating  to  a 
man  who  has  only  the  fortnight  intervening  between  two 
steamers  in  which  to  accomplish  his  journey,  and  knows 
the  time  to  be  all  too  short  for  the  objects  he  has  in  view. 
These  habits  of  procrastination  are  much  less  marked  in 
those  parts  of  Brazil  where  railroad  and  steam  travel  have 
been  introduced  ; though  it  cannot  be  said  that  promptness 
and  despatch  are  anywhere  familiar  qualities  in  this  coun- 
try. Our  delays  in  this  particular  instance  were  in  no  way 
owing  to  any  want  of  interest  in  our  plans ; on  the  contrary, 
we  met  here,  as  everywhere,  the  most  cordial  sympathy  with 
the  objects  of  the  expedition,  and  the  President  of  the 
province,  as  well  as  other  persons,  were  ready  to  give  every 
assistance  in  their  power.  But  a stranger  cannot  of  course 
expect  the  habits  of  the  people  to  be  changed  to  suit  his 
convenience,  and  we  did  but  share  in  the  general  slowness 
of  movement.  However,  we  were  at  last  on  the  way  ; 
our  party  consisting  of  Major  Coutinho,  Senhor  Pompeo, 
Government  Engineer  of  the  province,  whom  the  Presi- 


co 


450 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


dent  had  kindly  detailed  to  accompany  us,  Mr.  Agassiz, 
and  myself.  We  had  a servant,  also  provided  by  the 
President,  one  of  his  guard,  and  two  men,  with  a couple 
of  pack-mules  for  baggage  and  provisions.  We  started 
so  late  in  the  day,  that  our  first  ride  was  but  a league 
or  ?o  out  of  the  town  ; short  as  it  was,  however,  we  did 
no.  escape  several  showers,  always  to  be  expected  at  this 
season.  Yet  the  ride  was  pleasant ; a smell  as  of  huckle- 
berry meadows  came  from  the  low  growth  of  shrubs  cover- 
ing the  fields  for  miles  around,  and  the  very  earth  was 
fragrant  from  the  rain.  As  we  left  the  city,  low  clouds, 
full  of  distant  showers,  hung  over  the  serras,  and  gave 
them  a sombre  beauty,  more  impressive,  if  less  cheerful, 
than  their  sunshine  look.  At  six  o’clock  we  reached  Aran- 
cho,  a village  where  we  were  to  pass  the  night.  As  we 
rode  in  at  dusk,  it  seemed  to  me  only  a little  cluster  of  low 
mud-houses ; but  I found,  by  daylight,  there  were  one  or 
two  buildings  of  more  pretentious  character.  We  stopped 
at  the  end  of  the  principal  street,  before  the  venda  (village 
inn).  At  the  door,  which  opened  across  the  middle,  al- 
lowing its  lower  half  to  serve  as  a sort  of  gate,  stood 
the  host,  little  expecting  guests  on  this  dark,  rainy  night. 
He  was  a fat  old  man,  with  a head  as  round  as  a bullet, 
covered  with  very  short  white  curly  hair,  and  a face 
beaming  with  good  nature,  but  reddened  also  by  many 
potations.  He  was  dressed  in  white  cotton  drawers  with 
a shirt  hanging  loose  over  them ; his  feet  were  stocking- 
less, but  he  had  on  a pair  of  the  wooden-soled  slippers, 
down  at  heel,  of  which  you  hear  the  “clack,  clack”  in 
every  town  and  village  during  the  rainy  season.  He 
opened  the  gate  and  admitted  us  into  a small  room  fur- 
nished with  a hammock,  a sofa,  and  a few  chairs,  the  mud 


CEARA. 


451 


walls  adorned  with  some  coarse  prints,  of  which  the  old 
gentleman  seemed  very  proud.  He  said  if  we  could  be 
satisfied  with  such  accommodation  as  he  had,  the  gentle- 
mem  to  sling  their  hammocks  in  the  sitting-room  with  him, 
the  Senhora  to  sleep  with  his  wife  and  the  children  in  the 
only  other  room  he  had  to  offer,  he  should  be  happy  to 
receive  us.  I confess  that  the  prospect  was  not  encourag- 
ing ; but  I was  prepared  to  meet  with  inconveniences, 
knowing  that  even  a short  journey  into  the  interior  involved 
discomforts,  and  when  the  hostess  presently  entered  and 
made  me  heartily  welcome  to  a corner  of  her  apartment, 
I thanked  her  with  such  cordiality  as  I could  muster.  She 
was  many  years  younger  than  her  husband,  and  still  very 
handsome,  with  an  Oriental  kind  of  beauty,  rather  enhanced 
by  her  dress.  She  wore  a red  muslin  wrapper,  somewhat 
the  worse  for  wear,  hut  still  brilliant  in  color  ; and  her  long 
black  hair  hung  loose  and  unbraided  over  her  shoulders. 
An  hour  or  two  later  supper  was  announced.  We  had 
brought  the  greater  part  of  it  with  us  from  the  city,  but 
we  invited  all  the  family  to  sup  with  us,  according  to  the 
fashion  of  the  country.  The  old  gentleman  completed 
his  toilet  by  adding  to  it  a gaudy-flowered  cotton  dress- 
ing-gown, and  seating  himself  at  the  table,  contemplated 
the  roast-chickens  and  claret  with  no  little  satisfaction. 
From  the  appearance  of  things, . such  a meal  must  have 
been  a rarity  in  his  house.  The  mud  floor  of  the  kitchen 
where  we  supped  was  sloppy,  and  its  leaky  roof  and  broken 
walls  were  but  dimly  lighted  by  the  coarse  guttering  candles 
made  from  the  Carnauba  palm.  I presently  heard  a loud 
gobbling  close  by  my  side  ; and,  looking  down,  saw  by 
the  half-light  a black  pig  feeding  at  a little  table  with 
the  two  children,  assisted  also  by  the  dog  and  the  cat. 


452 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


Supper  over,  I proposed  to  go  to  the  common  sleeping 
apartment,  preferring  to  be  in  advance  of  my  companions. 
It  was  a little  room,  some  ten  feet  square,  behind  the 
one  where  we  had  been  received,  and  without  any  window. 
This  is  not,  however,  so  great  an  objection  here,  where 
the  roofs  are  so  open  that  a great  deal  of  air  comes  from 
above.  Once  ensconced  in  my  hammock  I began  to  watch 
the  arrival  of  my  room-mates  with  some  curiosity.  First 
entered  a young  girl  and  her  little  sister,  who  stowed 
themselves  away  in  one  of  the  beds  ; then  came  the  ser- 
vant-maid and  hung  herself  up  in  her  hammock  in  a 
corner  ; .and  lastly  arrived  the  landlady,  who  took  posses- 
sion of  the  other  bed,  and  completed  the  charms  of  the 
scene  by  lighting  her  pipe  to  have  a quiet  smoke  before 
she  went  to  sleep.  I cannot  say  the  situation  was  favor- 
able to  rest ; the  heavy  showers  which  rattled  on  the  tiles 
throughout  the  night  penetrated  the  leaky  roof,  and,  how- 
ever I changed  my  position  in  the  hammock,  it  rained 
into  my  face  ; fleas  were  abundant ; the  silence  was  occa- 
sionally broken  by  the  crying  of  the  children,  or  the  grunt- 
ing of  the  pig  at  the  door,  and  for  my  part  I was  very 
glad  when  five  o’clock  called  us  all  to  get  up,  our  plan 
being  to  start  at  six  and  ride  three  leagues  before  breakfast. 
However,  on  a journey  of  this  kind,  it  is  one  thing  to  intend 
going  anywhere  at  a particular  time  and  quite  another  to 
accomplish  it.  When  we  met  at  six  o’clock  in  readiness 
for  our  journey,  two  of  the  horses  were  not  to  be  found  ; 
they  had  strayed  away  during  the  night.  Though  accidents 
of  this  kind  are  a constant  subject  of  complaint,  it  does 
not  seem  to  occur  to  any  one  to  secure  the  horses  for  the 
night ; it  is  indeed  far  easier  to  let  them  roam  about  and 
provide  for  themselves.  The  servants  were  sent  to  look  for 


CEARA. 


453 


them,  and  we  sat  waiting,  and  losing  the  best  hours 
of  the  morning,  till,  in  their  own  gqod  time,  men  and 
beasts  reappeared.  We  were  at  last  on  the  road  at  half 
past  eight  o’clock  ; but,  unhappily,  it  was  just  during 
our  two  hours  of  inaction  that  the  rain,  which  had  been 
pouring  in  torrents  all  night,  had  ceased  for  a time.  We 
had  scarcely  started  when  it  began  again,  and  accompanied 
us  for  a great  part  of  the  way  on  our  long  three  leagues’  ride. 
We  came  now  for  the  first  time  on  the  Carnauba  palm 
(Copernicia  cerifera),  so  invaluable  for  its  many  useful 
properties.  It  furnishes  an  admirable  timber,  strong  and 
durable,  from  which  the  rafters  of  all  the  houses  in  this 
region  are  made  ; it  yields  a wax  which,  if  the  process 
of  refining  and  bleaching  it  were  understood,  would  make 
an  excellent  candle,  and  which,  as  it  is,  is  used  for 
light  throughout  the  province  ; from  its  silky  fibre  very 
strong  thread  and  cordage  are  manufactured  ; the  heart 
of  the  leaves,  when  cooked,  makes  an  excellent  vegetable, 
resembling  delicate  cabbage  ; and,  finally,  it  provides  a 
very  nourishing  fodder  for  cattle.  It  is  a saying  in  the. 
province  of  Ceari,  that  where  the  Carnauba  palm  abounds 
a man  has.  all  he  needs  for  himself  and  his  horse.  The 
stem  is  tall,  and  the  leaves  so  arranged  around  the  sum- 
mit as  to  form  a close  spherical  crown,  entirely  unlike 
that  of  any  other  palm.* 

If  we  had  to  lament  the  rain,  we  were  fortunate  in  not 
having  the  sun  on  our  journey,  for  the  forest  is  low  and 
affords  but  little  shade.  The  road  was  in  a terrible  con- 
dition from  the  long-continued  rains,  and  though  there 

* For  a very  interesting  treatise  on  this  palm,  and  the  various  branches 
of  industry  it  may  be  made  to  subserve,  see  “Notice  sur  le  Palmier  Carnauba,” 
par  M A.  de  Macedo,  Paris,  1867,  8°. 


454 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


are  no  rivers  of  any  importance  between  the  town  and 
the  Serra  of  Monguba,  to  which  we  were  bound,  yet 
in  several  places  the  little  streams  were  swollen  to  a con- 
siderable depth ; and,  owing  to  the  broken  condition  of  the 
bottom,  full  of  holes  and  deep  ruts,  they  were  by  no  means 
easy  to  ford.  After  a fatiguing  ride  of  four  hours,  during 
which  we  inquired,  two  or  three  times,  how  far  we  had  still 
to  go,  and  always  received  the  same  answer,  “ uma  legua,” 
that  league  never  seeming  to  diminish  with  our  advance, 
we  were  delighted  to  find  ourselves  at  the  little  bridle-path 
which  turned  off  from  the  main  road  and  led  us  to  the 
fazenda  of  Senhor  Franklin  de  Lima.  The  traveller  is 
always  welcome  who  asks  hospitality  at  a Brazilian  coun*- 
try  house,  but  Major  Coutinho  had  already  stayed  at  this 
fazenda  on  previous  journeys,  and  we  shared  the  welcome 
given  to  him  as  an  old  friend.  The  hospitality  of  our 
excellent  hosts  repaid  us  for  all  the  fatigues  of  our  jour- 
ney, and  our  luggage  being  still  on  the  road,  their  kindness 
supplied  the  defects  of  our  toilet,  which  was  in  a lamentable 
condition  after  splashing  through  muddy  water  two  or  three 
feet  deep.  Mr.  Agassiz,  however,  could  not  spare  time  to 
rest ; we  had  followed  a morainic  soil  for  a great  part  of 
our  journey,  had  passed  many  boulders  on  the  road,  and 
he  was  anxious  to  examine  the  Serra  of  Monguba,  on 
the  slope  of  which  Senhor  Franklin  has  his  coffee  plan- 
tation, and  at  the  foot  of  which  his  house  stands.  He 
was,  therefore,  either  on  foot  or  on  horseback  the  greater 
part  of  this  day  and  the  following  one,  examining  the 
geological  structure  of  the  mountain,  and  satisfying  him- 
self that,  here  too,  all  the  valleys  have  had  their  glaciers, 
and  that  these  valleys  have  brought  down  from  the  hill- 
sides into  the  plains  boulders,  pebbles,  and  debris  of 


cearA. 


455 


all  sorts.  In  this  pleasant  home,  in  the  midst  of  the 
bright,  intelligent  circle  composing  the  family  of  Senhor 
Franklin,  we  passed  two  days.  After  breakfast  we  dis- 
persed to  our  various  occupations,  the  gentlemen  being 
engaged  in  excursions  in  the  neighborhood ; the  evening 
brought  us  together  again,  and  was  enlivened  with  music, 
dancing,  and  games.  The  Brazilians  are  fond  of  games, 
and  play  them  with  much  wit  and  animation.  One  of 
their  favorite  games  is  called  “ the  market  of  saints  ” ; 
it  is  very  amusing  when  there  are  two  or  three  bright 
people  to  act  the  prominent  parts.  One  person  performs 
the  salesman,  another  the  padre  who  comes  to  purchase 
a saint  for  his  chapel  ; the  company  enact  the  saints, 
covering  their  faces  with  their  handkerchiefs,  and  remain- 
ing as  motionless  as  possible.  The  salesman  brings  in  the 
padre,  and,  taking  him  from  one  to  another  in  turn,  de- 
scribes all  their  extraordinary  miraculous  qualities,  their 
wonderful  lives  and  pious  deaths.  After  a few  introduc- 
tory remarks  on  the  subject  of  the  purchase,  the  hand- 
kerchief is  drawn  off,  and  if  the  saint  keeps  his  counte- 
nance and  remains  immovable  during  all  the  ridiculous 
things  that  are  said  about  him,  he  comes  off  scot  free ; 
but  if  he  laughs  he  is  subject  to  a forfeit.  There  are 
indeed  few  who  stand  the  test ; for  if  the  salesman  has 
any  tact  in  the  game,  he  knows  how  to  seize  upon  any 
funny  incident  or  characteristic  quality  connected  with  the 
individual,  and  give  it  prominence.  Perhaps  the  reader, 
knowing  something  of  our  hunt  for  glaciers,  may  guess 
this  saint,  Major  Coutinho  being  salesman.  “ This,  Sen- 
hor Padre,  is  rather  a stout  saint,  but  still  of  most  pious 
disposition,  and,  0 meu  Padre ! a wonderful  worker  of 
miracles  ; he  can  fill  these  valleys  with  ice,  he  covers  the 


456 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


mountains  with  snow  in  the  hottest  days,  he  brings  the 
stones  from  the  top  of  the  serra  to  the  bottom,  he  finds 
animals  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth  and  brings  out  their 
bones.”  “ Ah ! ” replies  the  padre,  “ a wonderful  saint, 
truly  ! such  an  one  as  I need  for  my  chapel  ; let  me 
look  upon  his  face.”  Handkerchief  withdrawn,  and  the 
saint  in  question  of  course  loses  his  forfeit.  Yesterday, 
after  breakfast,  we  left  our  pleasant  friends  and  came  on 
to  the  little  village  of  Pacatuba,  a league  farther  inland, 
and  most  picturesquely  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  Serra 
of  Aratanha.  Here  we  are  fortunate  in  finding  an  empty 
“sobrada”  (two-storied  house),  in  which  we  shall  establish 
ourselves  for  the  two  or  three  days  we  mean  to  spend  in 
this  neighborhood.  We  have  had  it  swept  out,  have  hung, 
our  hammocks  in  the  vacant  rooms,  which,  with  the  excep< 
tion  of  a straw  sofa  and  a few  chairs,  are  innocent  of 
furniture  ; and  if  we  find  it  rather  forlorn  within  doors, 
we  have  at  least  beautiful  views  from  all  our  windows. 

April  7th. — -Pacatuba.  We  have  already  ascertained 
that  our  exploration  must  be  confined  to  the  serras  in  the 
midst  of  which  we  find  ourselves;  for  every  one  tells  us 
that,  in  the  present  state  of  the  roads,  it  would  be  impossi- 
ble to  go  to  Baturite  and  return  in  the  short  time  we  have 
at  our  disposal.  However,  Mr.  Agassiz  is  not  disappointed ; 
for  he  says  a farther  journey  could  only  give  him  glacial 
phenomena  on  a larger  scale,  which  he  finds  here  immedi- 
ately about  him  in  the  greatest  perfection.  On  this  very 
Serra  of  Aratanha,  at  the  foot  of  which  we  happen  to  have 
taken  up  our  quarters,  the  glacial  phenomena  are  as  legible 
as  in  any  of  the  valleys  of  Maine,  or  in  those  of  the  moun- 
tains of  Cumberland  in  England.  It  had  evidently  a local 
glacier,  formed  by  the  meeting  of  two  arms,  which  de- 


CEARA. 


457 


scended  from  two  depressions  spreading  right  and  left  on 
* the  upper  part  of  the  serra,  and  joining  below  in  the  main 
valley.  A large  part  of  the  medial  moraine  formed  by 
the  meeting  of  these  two  arms  can  still  be  traced  in  the 
central  valley.  One  of  the  lateral  moraines  is  perfectly  pre- 
served, the  village  road  cutting  through  it ; while  the  vil- 
lage itself  is  built  just  within  the  terminal  moraine,  which 
is  thrown  up  in  a long  ridge  in  front  of  it.  It  is  a curious 
fact  that,  in  the  centre  of  the  medial  moraine,  formed  by  a 
little  mountain  stream  making  its  way  through  the  ridge  of 
rocks  and  boulders,  is  a delicious  bathing  pool,  overgrown 
by  orange-trees  and  palms.  As  Mr.  Agassiz  came  down 
from  the  serra  yesterday,  heated  with  his  hunt  after  glaciers 
under  a tropical  sun,  he  stopped  to  bathe  in  this  pool.  He 
said,  as  he  enjoyed  its  refreshing  coolness,  he  could  not  but 
be  struck  with  the  contrast  between  the  origin  of  this  basin 
and  the  vegetation  which  now  surrounds  it ; to  say  nothing 
of  the  odd  coincidence  that  he,  a naturalist  of  the  nine- 
teenth century,  should  be  bathing  under  the  shade  of  palms 
and  orange-trees  on  the  very  spot  where  he  sought  and 
found  the  evidence  of  a cold  so  intense  that  it  heaped  the 
mountains  with  ice. 

April  9th. — Yesterday,  at  seven  o’clock  in  the  morning, 
we  left  Pacatuba  for  the  house  of  Senhor  da  Costa,  lying 
half-way  up  the  serra,  at  a height  of  about  eight  hundred 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  path  up  the  serra  is 
wild  and  picturesque,  lined  with  immense  boulders,  and 
shaded  with  large  trees ; while  here  and  there  a little  cas- 
cade comes  brawling  down  over  the  rocks.  In  this  climate, 
a road  so  broken  by  boulders  is  especially  beautiful,  on  ac- 
count of  the  luxuriance  of  the  vegetation.  Exquisite  vines, 
shrubs,  and  even  trees  spring  up  wherever  they  can  find  the 
20 


458 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


least  soil  in  which  to  strike  root ; and  many  of  these  iso- 
lated rocks  are  gardens  in  themselves.  One  immense  . 
boulder  in  the  path  is  split,  and  from  its  centre  springs  a 
palm  all  draperied  in  vines.  Of  the  native  trees,  the  Geni- 
papu  (Genipa  braziliensis),  the  Imbauba  (Cecropia),  the 
Carnauba  (Copernicia  cerifera),  the  Catoffi  (Attalea  hu- 
milis),  and  the  Pao  d’Arco  (Tecoma  speciosa)  are  most 
prominent.  The  latter  is  so  named  because  the  Indians 
make  their  bows  from  its  tough,  elastic  wood.  Though  not 
native  to  the  soil,  bananas,  cocoa-nut  palms,  orange-trees, 
as  well  as  cotton  and  coffee  shrubs,  are  abundant..  The 
cultivation  of  coffee,  which  thrives  admirably  on  the  slopes 
of  all  the  serras,  is  the  great  source  of  prosperity  here- ; but, 
at  least  in  the  sitios  we  have  visited,  it  is  difficult  to  judge 
of  the  extent  of  the  plantations  on  account  of  the  irregular 
manner  of  planting.  The  crops  are,  however,  very  large, 
and  the  coffee  superior  in  quality.  I found  the  climb  up  the 
precipitous  serra  exceedingly  fatiguing.  The  people  who 
live  on  the  mountain  come  and  go  constantly,  even  with  their 
children,  on  horseback  ; but  as  our  horses  were  from  the 
city,  and  unaccustomed  to  mountain  paths,  we  had  preferred 
ascending  on  foot,  especially  as  the  rains  had  made  the  road 
more  rough  and  broken  than  usual.  A mountain  scramble 
in  this  country  is  very  different  from  the  same  thing  in  tem- 
perate climates.  The  least  exertion  induces  excessive  per- 
spiration ; and  if,  when  thus  drenched  to  the  skin,  you  stop  to 
rest,  you  are  chilled  by  the  slightest  breeze.  I was  very  glad 
when,  after  about  an  hour’s  climbing,  we  reached  the  sitio 
of  Senhor  da  Costa,  on  the  slope  of  the  serra.  Donna  Maria 
laughed  at  me  ffir  coming  up  on  foot,  and  said  I should  have 
mounted  like  a man,  as  she  does,  and  ascended  the  serra  on 
horseback.  Indeed,  I think  a lady  who  is  obliged  to  make  a 


cearA. 


459 


journey  in  the  interior  of  Brazil  should  dress  Bloomer-fashion 
and  mount  en  cavalier.  A lady’s  seat  on  horseback  is  too 
insecure  for  dangerous  mountain  roads,  or  for  fording 
streams ; and  her  long  skirt  is  another  inconvenience. 

Nothing  can  be  more  picturesque  than  the  situation  of 
this  sitio.  It  is  surrounded  by  magnificent  masses  of  rock, 
which  seem  embedded  in  the  forest,  as  it  were ; and  by  its 
side  a cascade  comes  leaping  down  through  the  trees,  so  hid- 
den by  them  that,  though  you  hear  the  voice  of  the  water 
constantly,  you  only  see  its  glimmer  here  and  there  among 
the  green  foliage.  The  house  itself  stands  on  a fine  speci- 
men of  moraine,  flanked  on  one  side  by  a bank  of  red  mo- 
rainic soil,  overtopped  by  boulders.  It  is  so  built  in  among 
huge  masses  of  rock  that  its  walls  seem  half  natural.  At 
the  foot  of  the  mountain  spreads  the  Sertao,  stretching 
level  for  the  most  part  to  the  ocean,  though  broken  here 
and  there  by  billowy  hills  rising  isolated  from  its  surface. 
Beyond  it  many  miles  away  may  be  seen  the  yellow  lines 
of  the  sand-dunes  on  the  shore,  and  the  white  glitter  of  the 
sea.  The  Sertao  (desert)  is  beautifully  green  now,  and 
spreads  out  like  a verdant  prairie  below.  But  in  the  dry 
season  it  justifies  its  name  and  becomes  a very  desert  indeed, 
being  so  parched  that  all  vegetation  is  destroyed.  The 
drought  is  so  great  during  eight  months  of  the  year,  that 
the  country  people  living  in  the  Sertao  are  often  in  danger 
of  famine  from  the  drying  up  of  all  the  crops.*  After  this 
long  dry  season  the  rains  often  set  in  with  terrible  violence, 


* But  for  the  existence  of  a shrub  allied  to  our  hawthorn,  and  known  to 
botanists  as  Zizyphus  Joazeiro,  the  cattle  would  suffer  excessively  during  the 
drought.  This  ahrub  is  one  of  the  few  plants  common  to  this  latitude  which 
does  not  lose  its  foliage  during  the  dry  season,  and,  happily  for  the  inhabitants, 
all  the  herbivorous  domesticated  animals  delight  to  feed  upon  it. — L.  A. 


460 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


and  it  is  at  this  time  that  epidemics  are  developed,  such  as 
prevail  now.  It  rains  day  and  night  for  weeks  at  a time,  till 
everything  is  penetrated  with  dampness  ; and  when  the  hot 
sun  comes  out  upon  the  soaked  and  steaming  earth,  it  is  far 
more  injurious  than  in  the  dry  season.  One  cannot  wonder 
at  the  prevailing  sickness,  for  the  humidity  seems  to  per- 
meate everything  with  subtle  power.  The  walls,  the  floors, 
the  very  furniture,  — your  hammock  at  night  and  your 
clothes  in  the  morning,  — feel  damp  and  have  a sort  of 
clammy  chill ; and  the  sun  comes  out  with  such  fitful 
gleams,  that,  intense  as  is  its  heat  while  it  lasts,  nothing  be- 
comes thoroughly  dried. 

Toward  nightfall  we  went  to  see  the  sunset  from  a boul- 
der of  enormous  size,  which  seems  to  have  stopped  inexpli- 
cably on  the  steep  descent.  It  juts  out  from  the  mountain- 
side, and  commands  even  a more  extensive  view  than  the 
house  above.  I could  not  help  thinking,  as  we  stood  on  the 
edge  of  this  immense  mass  of  rock,  that,  as  it  seemed  to 
have  stopped  for  no  particular  reason,  if  might  start  again 
at  any  minute,  and  bring  one  to  the  bottom  of  the  serra 
with  unpleasant  rapidity. 

April  10th. — Yesterday  afternoon  we  returned  to  Paca- 
tuba,  descending  the  serra  much  more  rapidly  and  with  far 
less  fatigue  than  we  had  ascended.  We  would  gladly  have 
availed  ourselves  longer  of  the  pleasant  hospitality  of  our 
hosts,  who  very  graciously  urged  us  to  stay  ; but  time  is 
precious,  and  we  are  anxious  not  to  miss  the  next  steamer. 
Donna  Maria’s  kindness  followed  us  down  the  mountain, 
however,  for  scarcely  had  we  reached  the  house  before  an 
excellent  dinner  — stewed  fowls,  beef,  vegetables,  etc.  — ar- 
rived, borne  on  the  heads  of  two  negroes.  When  I saw  the 
load  these  men  had  brought  so  steadily  down  the  same  path 


cearI. 


461 


over  which  I had  come  rolling,  pitching,  tumbling,  sliding, — 
any  way,  in  short,  but  walking,  — I envied  their  dexterity, 
and  longed  to  be  as  sure-footed  as  these  shoeless,  half  naked, 
ignorant  blacks.  To-day  we  leave  Pacatuba  for  the  house 
of  Senhor  Franklin,  on  our  way  back  to  Ceard. 

April  lZth.  — On  the  10th  we  returned  to  Monguba, 
where  we  passed  that  day  and  the  following  night  at  the 
fazenda  of  our  friends,  the  Franklins.  The  next  morning 
we  had  intended  to  start  at  six  o’clock  on  our  way  to  the 
city.  No  sooner  were  the  horses  at  the  door,  however,  and 
the  pack-mules  ready,  than  a pouring  rain  began.  We 
waited  for  it  to  pass,  but  it  was  followed  by  shower  after 
shower,  falling  in  solid  sheets.  So  the  day  wore  on  till 
twelve  o’clock,  when  there  was  a lull,  with  a prospect  of 
fine  weather,  and  we  started.  I could  not  help  feeling  some 
anxiety,  for  I remembered  the  streams  we  had  forded  in 
coming,  and  wondered  what  they  would  be  after  these  tor- 
rents. Fortunately,  before  we  reached  the  first  of  them,  we 
met  two  negroes,  who  warned  us  that  there  was  a great  deal 
of  water  on  the  road.  We  hired  them  to  come  on  with  us, 
and  guide  my  horse.  When  we  reached  the  spot  it  really 
looked  appalling.  The  road  was  inundated  to  a consider- 
able distance,  and  the  water  rushed  across  it  with  great  vio- 
lence, having  in  many  places  a depth  of  four  or  five  feet, 
and  a strong  current.  If  there  had  been  a sound  bottom 
to  rely  upon,  the  wetting  would  have  been  nothing;  but 
the  road,  torn  up  by  the  rains,  was  full  of  holes  and  deep 
gullies,  so  that  the  horses,  coming  unexpectedly  on  these 
inequalities,  would  suddenly  flounder  up  to  their  necks  in 
water,  and  recover  their  footing  only  by  kicking  and  plung- 
ing. We  crossed  four  such  streams,  one  man  leading  my 
horse  while  the  gentlemen  followed  close  behind,  and  the 


462 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


second  negro  walking  in  front  to  see  where  it  was  possible  to 
pass  without  getting  completely  out  of  depth.  These  streams, 
not  quite  deep  enough  to  allow  the  horse  to  swim,  and  with 
such  a broken  bottom  that  he  is  in  constant  danger  of  fall- 
ing, are  sometimes  more  difficult  of  passage  than  a river. 
We  met  with  only  one  accident,  however,  which,  as  it  did  no 
harm,  was  rather  ludicrous  than  otherwise.  The  negroes  had 
left  us,  saying  there  was  no  more  deep  water  in  the  road,  and 
when  we  came  presently  to  a shallow  stream  we  entered  it 
quite  confidently.  It  was  treacherous,  however,  for  just  on 
its  edge  was  a soft,  adhesive  bog-mud.  In  entering,  the  horses 
stepped  across  this  quagmire,  but  their  hind  legs  were  in- 
stantly caught  in  it.  Major  Coutinho,  who  was  riding  at  my 
side,  seized  my  bridle,  and,  spurring  his  own  horse  violent- 
ly, both  the  animals  extricated  themselves  at  once  by  a 
powerful  effort.  Our  servant,  who  followed  behind,  was  not 
so  fortunate  ; he  was  mounted  on  a small  mule,  which 
seemed  likely  to  be  swallowed  up  bodily  for  a moment,  so 
suddenly  did  it  disappear  in  the  mire ; the  man  fell  off,  and 
it  was  some  minutes  before  he  and  his  animal  regained  the 
road,  a mass  of  mud  and  dripping  with  water.  We  reached 
Ceard  at  five  in  the  afternoon,  having  made  a journey  of  five 
leagues.  Every  one  tells  us  that  the  state  of  the  roads  is 
most  unusual,  such  continuous  rains  not  having  been  known 
for  many  years.  The  sickness  in  the  city  continues  un- 
abated, and  a young  man  who  was  attacked  with  yellow- 
fever  in  the  next  house  before  we  left  has  died  in  our 
absence.  Everywhere  on  our  journey  we  have  heard  the 
same  complaints  of  prevalent  epidemics,  and  the  authorities 
are  beginning  to  close  the  schools  in  the  town  on  account  of 
them.  The  steamer  is  due  in  a day  or  two,  and  we  are  mak- 
ing our  preparations  for  departure.  We  should  not  bid  good 


cearA. 


463 


by  to  Cear&  without  acknowledging  the  sympathy  shown  by 
the  President  of  the  Province,  Senhor  Homem  de  Mello,  in 
the  objects  of  the  expedition.  Mr.  Agassiz  has  received  a col- 
lection of  palms  and  fishes,  the  directions  for  which  he  had 
given  before  starting  for  the  Serra,  but  the  expenses  of 
which  are  defrayed  by  the  President,  who  insists  upon  their 
being  rec.eived  as  a contribution  from  the  province.  Mr. 
Agassiz  is  also  greatly  indebted  to  Senhor  Felice,  at  whose 
house  we  have  lodged,  for  efficient  help  in  collecting,  and  to 
Senhor  Cicero  de  Lima  for  a collection  of  fishes  and  insects 
from  the  interior.  I conclude  this  chapter  with  a few  pas- 
sages from  notes  made  by  Mr.  Agassiz  during  his  examina- 
tion of  the  Serra  of  Aratanha  and  the  site  of  Pacatuba. 

“ I spent  the  rest  of  the  day  in  a special  examination  of 
the  right  lateral  moraine,  and  part  of  the  front  moraine  of 
the  glacier  of  Pacatuba ; my  object  was  especially  to  ascer- 
tain whether  what  appeared  a moraine  at  first  might  not, 
after  all,  be  a spur  of  the  serra,  decomposed  in  place.  I as- 
cended the  ridge  to  its  very  origin,  and  there  crossed  into  an 
adjoining  depression,  immediately  below  the  Sitio  of  Captain 
Henriquez,  where  I found  another  glacier  bottom  of  smaller 
dimensions,  the  ice  of  which  probably  never  reached  the 
plain.  Everywhere  in  the  ridges  encircling  these  depres- 
sions the  loose  materials  and  large  boulders  are  so  accumu- 
lated and  embedded  in  clay  or  sand  that  their  morainic 
character  is  unmistakable.  Occasionally,  where  a ledge 
of  the  underlying  rock  crops  out,  in  places  where  the  drift 
has  been  removed  by  denudation,  the  difference  between  the 
moraine  and  the  rock  decomposed  in  place  is  recognized  at 
once.  It  is  equally  easy  to  distinguish  the  boulders  which 
here  and  there  have  rolled  down  from  the  mountain  and 
stopped  against  the  moraine.  The  three  things  are  side  by 


464 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


side,  and  might  at  first  be  easily  confounded ; but  a little 
familiarity  makes  it  easy  to  distinguish  them.  Where  the 
lateral  moraine  turns  toward  the  front  of  the  ancient  glacier, 
near  the  point  at  which  the  brook  of  Pacatuba  cuts  through 
the  former,  and  a little  to  the  west  of  the  brook,  there  are 
colossal  boulders  leaning  against  the  moraine,  from  the  sum- 
mit of  which  they  have  probably  rolled  down.  Near  the 
cemetery  the  front  moraine  consists  almost  entirely  of  small 
quartz  pebbles  ; there  are,  however,  a few  larger  blocks 
among  them.  The  medial  moraine  extends  nearly  through 
the  centre  of  the  village,  while  the  left-hand  lateral  moraine 
lies  outside  of  the  village,  at  its  eastern  end,  and  is  traversed 
by  the  road  leading  to  Ceara.  It  is  not  impossible  that  east-' 
wards  a third  tributary  of  the  serra  may  have  reached  the 
main  glacier  of  Pacatuba.  I may  say,  that  in  the  whole 
valley  of  Hasli  there  are  no  accumulations  of  morainic  ma- 
terials more  characteristic  than  those  I have  found  here,  — 
not  even  about  the  Kirchet  ; neither  are  there  any  remains 
of  the  kind  more  striking  about  the  valleys  of  Mount  Desert 
in  Maine,  where  the  glacial  phenomena  are  so  remarkable, 
nor  in  the  valleys  of  Lough  Fine,  Lough  Augh,  and  Lough 
Long  in  Scotland,  where  the  traces  of  ancient  glaciers  are 
so  distinct.  In  none  of  these  localities  are  the  glacial  phe- 
nomena more  legible  than  in  the  Serra  of  Aratanha.  I hope 
that  before  long  some  members  of  the  Alpine  Club,  thor- 
oughly familiar  with  the  glaciers  of  the  Old  World,  not  only 
in  their  present,  but  also  in  their  past  condition,  will  come 
to  these  mountains  of  Cear&  and  trace  the  outlines  of  their 
former  glaciers  more  extensively  than  it  has  been  possible 
for  me  to  do  in  this  short  journey.  It  would  be  an  easy  ex- 
cursion, since  steamers  from  Liverpool  and  Bordeaux  reach 
Pernambuco  in  about  ten  days,  arriving  twice  a month,  while 


CEARA. 


465 


Brazilian  steamers  make  tlic  trip  from  Pernambuco  to  Oeard 
in  two  days.  The  nearest  serra  in  which  I have  observed 
traces  of  ancient  glaciers  is  reached  from  Ceara  in  one  day 
on  horseback.  The  best  season  for  such  a journey  would  be 
June  and  July,  at  the  close  of  the  rainy  season,  and  before 
the  great  droughts  of  the  dry  season  have  began.” 


so* 


DI> 


466 


A JOUENEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

PUBLIC  INSTITUTIONS  OF  RIO  DE  JANEIRO.  — ORGAN  MOUNTAINS. 


Voyage  from  CearA.  — Freshets  at  Pernambuco.  — Arrival,  at  Rio.  — 
Collections.  — Vegetation  about  Rio  as  compared  with  that  on  the 
Amazons.  — Misericordia  Hospital.  — Charities  connected  with  it. 

— Almsgiving  in  Brazil.  — Insane  Asylum.  — Military  School.  — 
The  Mint.  — Academy  of  Fine  Arts.  — Heroism  of  a Negro.  — Primary 
School  for  Girls.  — Neglected  Education  of  Women  in  Brazil.  — 
Blind  Asylum.  — Lectures.  — Character  of  the  Brazilian  Audience. 

— Organ  Mountains.  — Walk  up  the  Serra.  — Theresopolis  — Visit  to 
the  “St.  Louis”  Fazenda.  — Climate  of  Theresopolis.  — Descent  of 
the  Serra.  — Geology  of  the  Organ  Mountains.  — The  Last  Word. 

May  29 th  — We  arrived  in  Rio  more  than  a month  ago, 
having  left  Ceara  on  the  16th  of  April.  There  was  nothing 
worth  recording  in  our  voyage  down  the  coast,  except  that 
at  Pernambuco  we  found  the  country  even  more  overflowed 
by  the  recent  rains  than  it  had  been  at  Ceara.  Going  to 

breakfast  with  our  friends,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R , only  four 

or  five  miles  from  the  city,  we  passed  through  portions  of 
the  road  where  the  water  was  nearly  level  with  the  floor  of 
the  carriage  ; and  temporary  ferries  were  established  by 
negroes,  who  were  plying  rafts  and  canoes  between  the 
shores  for  the  benefit  of  foot-passengers.  A mile  or  two 

beyond  Mr.  R ’s  house  we  were  told  that  the  road, 

though  one  of  the  most  frequented  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  city,  had  become  quite  impassable.  We  saw  many  over- 
flowed gardens  and  houses  abandoned  because  the  water 
was  already  above  the  windows  of  the  ground-floor. 

We  had  a warm  welcome  back  to  the  beautiful  bay  of 
Rio,  on  board  the  “ Susquehanna,”  just  then  in  the  harbor. 


PUBLIC  INSTITUTIONS  OF  RIO  DE  JANEIRO  4(57 

Captain  Taylor  sent  liis  boat  at  once  to  our  steamer,  and 
we  were  soon  on  his  deck,  received  so  cordially  by  him  and 
his  officers,  and  by  a party  of  American  friends  who  were 
making  a visit  to  his  ship,  that  it  seemed  like  an  anticipa- 
tion of  our  arrival  at  home.  There  is  nothing  so  pleasant 
as  an  unexpected  meeting  with  one’s  own  fellow-citizens  on 
coming  into  a foreign  port,  and  this  was  a delightful  sur- 
prise to  us. 

We  are  again  in  our  old  quarters  in  the  Rua  Direita, 
and,  except  that  our  fellow-travellers  are  all  scattered,  it 
would  seem  as  if  we  had  stepped  back  a year.  Since  our 
return,  Mr.  Agassiz  has  been  arranging  and  despatching  to 
the  United  States  the  numerous  specimens  which  have  been 
sent  in  during  our  absence.  Among  them  is  the  large  and 
very  complete  collection  made  for  him  by  the  Emperor  last 
summer,  when  in  command  of  the  army  at  the  South.  It 
contains  fishes  from  several  of  the  southern  fresh-water 
basins,  and  includes  a great  number  of  new  species.  Taken 
in  connection  with  the  Amazonian  collections  and  those 
from  the  interior,  it  affords  material  for  an  extensive  com- 
parison of  the  fa\m38  of  the  southern  and  northern  fresh- 
waters  in  Brazil. 

Our  excursions  since  our  return  have  been  only  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  city  to  Petropolis  and  the  Dom  Pedro 
Railroad.  We  are  surprised,  on  returning  to  this  road 
while  our  Amazonian  impressions  are  fresh  in  our  minds, 
to  find  that  the  vegetation,  the  richness  of  which  amazed  us 
when  we  first  arrived  in  Brazil,  looks  almost  meagre  in  com- 
parison to  that  with  which  we  have  since  been  familiar.  It 
is  dwarfed,  to  our  eye,  by  the  still  more  luxuriant  growth 
of  the  north. 

Yesterday  was  Mr.  Agassiz’s  birthday,  again  made  very 


468 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


bright  to  us  by  the  cordial  testimony  of  kind  feeling  and 
sympathy  from  his  friends  and  countrypeople.  In  the  even- 
ing we  were  pleasantly  surprised  by  a torchlight  procession 
in  his  honor,  formed  by  the  German  and  Swiss  residents  of 
Rio  de  Janeiro.  The  festivities  concluded  with  a serenade 
under  our  windows  by  the  German  club. 

June  \.th.  — When  we  were  in  Rio  de  Janeiro  last  year, 
Mr.  Agassiz  was  so  much  occupied  with  the  plans  of  the 
expedition  that  he  was  unable  to  visit  the  schools  of  the 
city,  its  charitable  institutions,  and  the  like.  Being  unwill- 
ing to  leave  Brazil  without  knowing  something  of  the  pub- 
lic works  in  its  largest  capital,  we  are  now  engaged  in 
“ sight-seeing.”  This  morning  we  visited  the  Misericordia 
Hospital.  Perhaps  it  will  give  a better  idea  of  this  institu- 
tion, and  of  the  influences  under  which  it  at  present  exists, 
to  speak  of  it  first  as  it  was  formerly.  Nearly  forty  years 
ago  there  was  in  Rio  de  Janeiro  a hospital  called  “ De  la 
Misericordia.”  Its  wards  were  low,  its  entries  were  con- 
fined and  close,  its  staircases  steep  and  narrow.  According 
to  the  accounts  of  physicians  who  were  medical  students 
there  in  those  days,  its  internal  organization  was  as  sordid 
as  its  general  aspect.  The  floors  were  wet  and  dirty,  the 
beds  wretched,  the  linen  soiled ; and  the  absence  of  a system 
of  ventilation  made  itself  the  more  felt  on  account  of  the 
want  of  general  cleanliness.  The  corpses  awaited  burial  in 
a room  where  the  rats  held  high  festival ; and  a physician, 
who  has  since  occupied  a distinguished  position  in  Rio  de  Ja- 
neiro, told  us  that  when,  as  a student,  he  went  to  seek  there 
the  materials  for  his  anatomical  studies,  he  often  found  life 
stirring  in  this  chamber  of  the  dead,  and  startled  away  these 
unseemly  visitors.  Such,  in  brief,  was  the  Misericordia  Hos- 
pital at  the  time  when  Brazil  secured  her  independence. 


PUBLIC  INSTITUTIONS  OF  EIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


460 


Let  us  see  what  it  is  now.  On  the  same  spot,  though  occu- 
pying a much  larger  space,  stands  the  present  hospital. 
When  completed,  it  will  consist  of  three  parallel  buildings, 
long  in  proportion  to  their  breadth,  connected  by  cross  cor- 
ridors enclosing  courts  between  them.  The  central  edifice, 
intended  for  male  patients,  has  been  long  in  use.  The  front 
building,  looking  on  the  bay,  is  nearly  completed,  and  is  to 
be  devoted  to  the  stores,  to  accommodations  for  hospital 
physicians,  nurses,  &c.  The  rear  building,  not  yet  begun, 
will  be  for  the  use  of  women  and  children,  who  now  occupy 
the  old  hospital.  Let  us  look  first  at  the  central  division. 
We  enter  a spacious  hall  tiled  with  marble.  A smaller 
hall,  leading  out  of  it,  connects  with  one  or  two  reception- 
rooms,  where  visitors  are  received,  and  medicines  given 
out  gratis  to  poor  applicants.  A broad  staircase  of  dark 
wood  brings  us  to  the  wide  corridors,  on  which  the  wards 
open,  and  which  look  out  upon  green  gardens  enclosed 
between  the  buildings,  where  convalescents  may  be  seen 
strolling  about,  or  resting  in  the  shade.  At  the  first 
ward  we  are  received  by  a Sister  of  Charity,  who,  in  the 
absence  of  the  Superior,  is  to  show  us  the  establishment. 
A description  of  one  ward  will  answer  for  all,  since  they 
are  identical.  It  is  a long,  lofty  room,  the  beds  in  rows 
on  either  side,  facing  outward,  and  having  a broad,  open 
space  down  the  centre.  The  beds  are  arranged  two  and 
two  in  pairs,  each  pair  being  divided  by  a door  or  win- 
dow. Between  every  two  beds  is  a little  niche  in  the 
wall,  with  a shelf  to  draw  out  underneath.  In  the  niche 
are  one  or  two  pitchers  or  goblets  holding  the  patient’s 
drink  ; on  the  shelf  is  his  mug,  ready  to  his  hand.  To  a 
height  of  some  six  or  eight  feet  the  wall  is  wainscoted  with 
blue-and- white  porcelain  tiles.  They  are  easily  washed,  do 


470 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


not  contract  dampness,  and  look  very  cool  and  fresh.  The 
floor  is  made  of  the  dark  Brazilian  wood,  partly  inlaid,  and 
waxed  carefully ; not  a stain  is  to  be  seen  anywhere  on  its 
shining  surface.  The  bedding  consists  of  a well-stuffed 
straw-mattress  below,  with  a thick  hair-mattress  above. 
The  sheets  and  pillow-cases  are  spotless.  Indeed,  every- 
thing in  this  fresh,  well-aired,  spacious  room  bespeaks  an 
exquisite  order  and  neatness.  The  bath-rooms  are  in  con- 
venient' relation  to  the  wards,  furnished  with  large  marble 
bath-tubs,  and  with  hot  and  cold  water  in  abundance. 
From  the  public  wards  we  pass  into  large  corridors,  upon 
which  open  private  apartments  for  the  use  of  persons  who, 
not  having  convenient  arrangements  at  home,  or  being  ' 
strangers  in  the  city,  prefer,  in  case  of  illness,  to  go  to  the 
hospital.  The  rent  of  these  chambers  is  exceedingly  mod- 
erate ; — -for  a room  to  one’s  self,  $1.50  a day;  for  a room 
shared  with  one  other  person,  $ 1 a day ; for  a bed  in  a 
larger  room  occupied  by  half  a dozen,  but  withdrawn  from 
the  general  throng,  75  cents.  These  charges  include  medi- 
cal attendance,  nursing,  and  food.  .From  the  wards  de- 
voted to  ordinary  diseases,  fevers  and  the  like,  we  went  to 
the  surgical  wards.  It  need  not  be  said  that  here  the  same 
neatness  and  care  prevailed ; the  operating  rooms,  the  sur- 
gery lined  with  cases  containing  instruments,  lint,  bandages, 
&c.  were  all  in  faultless  order. 

From  this  building  — looking,  as  we  went,  into  the  kitchen, 
where  the  contents  of  the  great  shiny  copper  kettles  smelt 
very  invitingly  — we  passed  through  a paved  court  to  the 
old  hospital,  in  which  are  the  wards  for  women  and  chil- 
dren. This  gave  us  an  opportunity  of  comparing,  at  least 
in  its  general  arrangement,  the  ancient  establishment  with 
the  modern  one.  The  neatness  and  order  prevailing  through- 


PUBLIC  INSTITUTIONS  OF  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


471 


out  make  even  this  part  of  the  hospital  attractive  and  cheer- 
ful ; but  one  feels  at  once  the  difference  between  the  high, 
airy  rooms  and  open  corridors  of  the  new  building  and 
the  more  confined  quarters  of  the  old  one.  In  both  parts 
of  the  hospital  the  mingling  of  color  impresses  the  stranger. 
Blacks  and  whites  lie  side  by  side,  and  the  proportion  of 
negroes  is  considerable,  both  among  the  men  and  women. 

The  charity  of  the  Misericordia  is  a very  comprehen- 
sive one  ; it  includes  not  only  maladies  susceptible  of 
cure,  but  has  also  its  ward  for  old  and  infirm  persons, 
who  will  never  leave  it  except  for  their  last  home.  The  day 
before  our  visit  a very  aged  woman  had  been  buried  thence, 
who  had  lived  under  this  roof  for  seventeen  years.  There 
is  also  a provision  for  children  whose  parents  die  in  the 
hospital,  and  who  have  no  natural  protector.  They  remain 
there,  receive  an  elementary  education,  being  taught  to 
read,  write,  and  cipher ; and  are  not  turned  into  the  world 
until  they  are  of  age  to  marry  or  to  enter  into  service. 
There  is  a chapel  connected  with  the  hospital,  and  many  of 
the  wards  are  furnished  with  an  altar  at  one  end,  above 
which  is  placed  a statue  of  the  Virgin,  a crucifix,  or  a pic- 
ture of  some  saint.  I could  not  help  asking  myself  if  regu- 
lar religious  services  would  not  be  a wise  addition  to  all 
charitable  institutions  of  this  kind,  whether  Protestant  or 
Catholic.  To  the  respectable  poor,  their  church  is  a great 
deal.  Many  a convalescent  would  be  glad  to  hear  the 
Sunday  hymn,  to  join  in  the  prayer  put  up  for  his  re- 
covery ; and  would  think  himself  the  better,  body  and 
soul,  because  he  had  listened  to  a sermon.  To  be  sure, 
in  our  country,  where  creeds  are  so  various,  and  almost 
every  patient  might  have  his  own  doctrinal  speciality,  there 
might  be  some  difficulties  which  do  not  exist  where  there 


472 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


is  a state  religion,  and  one  form  of  service  is  sure  to 
suit  all.  Still,  many  would  be  comforted  and  consoled,  and 
would  come  without  asking  whether  the  clergyman  were 
of  this  or  that  denomination,  if  they  felt  him  to  be  genuine 
and  truly  devout. 

I have  presented  the  old  hospital  and  the  present  one  in 
direct  contrast,  because  the  comparison  gives  a measure  of 
the  progress  which,  in  some  directions  at  least,  has  taken 
place  during  the  last  thirty  or  forty  years  in  Bio  de  Janeiro. 
It  is  true,  that  all  their  institutions  have  not  advanced  in 
proportion  to  their  benevolent  establishments  ; charity,  like 
hospitality,  may  be  said  to  be  a national  virtue  among 
the  Brazilians.  They  hold  almsgiving  a religious  duty, 
and  are  more  liberal  to  their  churches  and  to  the  public 
charities  connected  with  them  than  to  their  institutions 
of  learning.  Unhappily,  a great  deal  of  their  liberality 
of  this  kind  is  expended  upon  church  festas,  street  pro- 
cessions, saint  days,  and  the  like,  more  calculated  to  feed 
superstition  than  to  stimulate  pure  religious  sentiment. 

We  should  not  leave  the  Misericordia  without  some  allu- 
sion to  the  man  to  whom  it  chiefly  owes  its  present  character. 
Jos6  Clemente  Pereira  would  have  been  gratefully  remem- 
bered by  the  Brazilians  as  a statesman  of  distinguished 
merit,  who  was  intimately  associated  with  more  than  one  of 
the  most  important  events  in  their  history,  even  had  he  no 
other  claim  on  their  esteem.  He  was  born  in  Portugal, 
and  distinguished  himself  as  a young  man  in  the  Penin- 
sular war.  Though  he  was  already  twenty-eight  years  of 
age  when  he  left  Europe,  he  seems  to  have  been  as  true 
a lover  of  Brazil  as  if  born  on  her  soil.  His  merit  was 
soon  recognized  in  his  adopted  country,  and  he  occupied, 
at  different  times,  some  of  the  highest  offices  of  the 


PUBLIC  INSTITUTIONS  OF  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


478 


realm.  The  early  part  of  his  political  career  fell  upon  the 
stormy  times  when  Brazil  was  struggling  for  her  national 
existence  as  an  independent  Empire  ; but  during  the  more 
tranquil  close  of  his  life  he  seems  to  have  been  chiefly 
occupied  in  works  of  benevolence,  in  founding  charitable 
institutions,  and  even  in  personal  attendance  upon  the  sick 
and  suffering. 

The  name  of  this  benevolent  Brazilian  is  associated  not 
only  with  the  Misericordia  hospital,  but  also  with  the  ad- 
mirable asylum  for  the  insane  at  Botafogo,  which  bears 
the  name  of  the  present  Emperor.  A great  part  of  the 
funds  for  this  establishment  were  obtained  in  an  original 
way,  which  shows  that  Pereira  knew  how  to  turn  the 
weaknesses  of  his  countrymen  to  good  account.  The 
Brazilians  are  addicted  to  titles,  and  the  government  of- 
fered distinctions  of  this  kind  to  wealthy  citizens  who 
would  endow  the  insane  asylum.  They  were  to  be  either 
commendadores  or  barons,  the  importance  of  the  title  being 
in  proportion  to  the  magnitude  of  their  donations.  Large 
sums  were  actually  obtained  in  this  way,  and  several  of 
the  titled  men  of  Rio  thus  purchased  their  patents  of 
nobility.  When  I first  arrived  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  mere 
chance  led  me  to  visit  this  asylum.  Entering  as  a stran- 
ger, I saw  only  the  outer  rooms,  listened  to  the  evening 
service  in  the  chapel  for  a few  moments,  and  was.  struck 
with  the  order  and  quiet  which  seemed  to  prevail.  It 
certainly  never  would  have,  occurred  to  me  that  I was 
in  an  insane  hospital.  To-day  Mr.  Agassiz  and  myself, 
accompanied  by  our  friend  Dr.  Pacheco  da  Silva,  passed 
several  hours  there,  and  saw  the  whole  establishment  in 
detail.  The  building  faces  upon  Botafogo'  Bay,  having  the 
beach  immediately  before  it ; on  its  right  the  picturesque 


474 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


gap,  one  side  of  which  is  made  by  the  Pao  de  Assucar,  and 
on  its  left  the  beautiful  valley  running  up  toward  Corco- 
vado.  Thus,  looking  on  the  sea  and  surrounded  by  moun- 
tains, it  commands  exquisite  views  on  every  side.  The 
plan  of  the  building,  in  its  general  arrangement,  is  not 
unlike  that  of  the  Misericordia.  It  is  a handsome  solid 
stone  structure,  rather  long  in  proportion  to  its  height, 
and  consists  of  two  parallel  buildings,  connected  by  cross 
corridors.  These  corridors  enclose  courts,  planted  with 
trees  and  flowers,  and  making  very  pleasant  gardens.  The 
entrance  hall  is  in  the  centre,  and  has  on  either  side  the 
statues  of  Pinel  and  Esquirol,  the  two  French  masters  in 
the  treatment  of  mental  diseases.  The  statues  have  no1 
merit  as  works  of  art ; but  it  was  pleasant  to  see  them 
there,  as  showing  a recognition  of  what  these  men  have 
done  for  science  and  for  humanity.  A broad,  low  stair- 
case of  dark  wood  leads  up  to  the  chapel.  Here  we 
looked  with  interest  at  the  ornaments  on  the  altar,  because 
they  are  the  work  of  the  patients,  who  take  great  pleasure 
in  making  artificial  flowers  and  other  decorations  for  the 
church.  On  the  same  floor  with  the  chapel  is  a large  hall, 
where  stands  the  statue  of  the  youthful  Emperor  Dom  Pedro 
Segundo.  Opposite  to  it  is  that  of  Pereira.  It  is  worthy 
of  note  that  this  statue  was  presented  by  the  Emperor, 
and  at  his  request  placed  opposite  his  own.  The  face, 
quite  in  keeping  with  the  history  of  the  man,  is  expressive 
both  of  great  benevolence  and  remarkable  decision.  Con- 
nected with  this  hall  are  several  reception-halls,  parlors, 
and  antechambers ; indeed,  too  much  room  is  assigned 
to  mere  state  apartments  in  an  establishment  where 
space  must  be  precious.  One  of  this  suite  of  rooms  was 
devoted  to  the  various  fancy-work  made  by  the  patients, 


PUBLIC  INSTITUTIONS  OF  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


475 


— embroidery  of  all  sorts,  artificial  flowers  and  the  like. 
Thence  we  passed  to  the  wards.  As  in  the  Misericordia, 
th.e  rooms  are  very  large  and  high,  wainscoted  with  tiles, 
and  opening  upon  wide  corridors,  which  look  out  into  the 
enclosed  gardens.  Some  of  the  dormitories  have  fifteen 
or  twenty  beds,  but  many  of  the  sleeping-rooms  are 
smaller,  it  being  better,  no  doubt,  to  separate  the  patients 
at  night.  We  saw  but  little  indication  of  suffering  or 
distress  among  them.  There  were  one  or  two  cases  of 
religious  melancholy,  with  the  look  of  fixed,  absorbed  sad- 
ness characteristic  of  that  form  of  insanity.  We  were 
met  once  or  twice  by  the  vacant  stare,  and  heard  the 
senseless  chatter  and  laugh  always  to  be  found  in  these 
saddest  of  all  asylums  for  human  suffering.  But,  on  the 
whole,  an  air  of  cheerfulness  prevailed  ; with  few  excep- 
tions all  the  patients  were  occupied,  the  women  with  plain 
sewing  or  embroidery,  the  men  with  carpentering,  shoe- 
making, or  tailoring,  making  cigars  for  the  use  of  the 
establishment,  or  picking  over  old  cordage.  The  Superior 
told  us  that  occupation  was  found  to  be  the  most  efficient 
remedy,  and  that  though  work  was  not  compulsory,  with 
few  exceptions  all  the  patients  preferred  to  share  in  it. 
The  whole  service  of  the  house  — ■ - washing,  sweeping,  wax- 
ing the  floors,  cleaning  the  chambers  and  putting  them  in 
order  — is  performed  by  them.  Sunday  is  found  to  be  the 
most  difficult  day,  because  much  of  the  ordinary  occupation 
is  suspended,  and  the  patients  become  unruly  in  proportion 
as  they  are  unemployed.  From  these  apartments,  where  all 
were  busy  and  comparatively  quiet,  we  passed  to  a corridor 
enclosing  a large  court,  where  some  of  the  lunatics,  too  rest- 
less for  employment,  -were  walking  about,  gesticulating  and 
talking  loudly.  The  corridor  was  lined  on  its  inner  side  with 


476 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


chambers,  devoted  to  the  use  of  those  whose  violence  made  it 
necessary  to  confine  them.  The  doors  and  windows  were 
grated,  the  rooms  empty  of  furniture,  but  well  lighted,  spa- 
cious, and  airy  ; not  at  all  like  cells,  except  in  being  s6 
strongly  secured.  They  were  mostly  without  occupants  ; but 
as  we  passed  one  of  them  a man  rushed  to  the  door,  and 
called  out  to  us  that  he  was  not  a prisoner  because  he 
was  mad,  but  that  he  had  killed  Lopez,  and  was  no^ 
the  rightful  Emperor  of  Brazil.  This  corridor  led  us  to 
the  bath-rooms,  which  are  really  on  a magnificent  scale. 
A number  of  immense  marble  tubs  are  sunk  in  the  tiled 
floors.  They  are  of  different  depths,  adapted  for  standing, 
sitting,  or  lying  down,  and  have  every  variety  of  arrange- 
ment for  douche,  shower,  or  sponge  baths. 

This  hospital,  like  the  Misericordia,  is  under  the  care  of 
the  Sisters  of  Charity,  and  is  a model  of  neatness  and  order. 
The  Superior  has  a face  remarkable  for  its  serenity,  expres- 
sive at  once  of  sweetness  and  good  sense.  From  her  we 
learned  some  interesting  facts  respecting  insanity  in  this 
country.  She  says  furious  maniacs  are  rare,  and  that  vio- 
lence generally  yields  readily  to  treatment.  She  also  told 
us  that  insanity  is  more  common  among  the  poor  than 
among  the  better  classes.  Though  the  asylum  contains 
apartments  for  private  patients,  there  are  seldom  more  than 
eight  or  ten  persons  of  this  description  to  occupy  them. 
This  is  not  because  they  have  any  choice  of  establishments, 
for  there  is  no  other  insane  hospital  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  though 
there  are  one  or  two  “ Maisons  de  Sant6  ” where  insane  per- 
sons are  received.  There  were  more  blacks  among  the 
patients  than  we  had  expected  to  see,  the  general  impres- 
sion being  that  insanity  is  rare  among  the  negroes.  We  left 
this  hospital  impressed  by  its  superiority.  A country  which 


PUBLIC  INSTITUTIONS  OF  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


477 


has  so  high  a standard  of  excellence  in  its  charities  can 
hardly  fail,  sooner  or  later,  to  bring  its  institutions  of  learn- 
ing and  its  public  works  generally  up  to  the  same  level. 
Excellence  in  one  department  leads  to  excellence  in  all. 

From  the  hospital  we  continued  our  walk  to  the  military 
school,  some  quarter  of  a mile  farther.  It  stands  in  the  gap 
between  the  Pao  de  Assucar  and  the  opposite  range  of  hills, 
and  has  the  Botafogo  Bay  on  one  side,  the  Praia  Vermelha 
on  the  other.  Here,  as  elsewhere  in  the  public  schools  of 
Rio  de  Janeiro,  there  is  a progressive  movement ; but  old 
and  theoretical  methods  still  prevail  to  a great  degree. 
The  maps  are  poor  ; there  are  no  bas-reliefs,  no  large  globes, 
few  dissections  or  chemical  analyses,  no  philosophical  ex- 
periments, and  no  library  deserving  the  name.  The  school, 
however,  has  been  in  efficient  operation  only  six  years,  and 
improvements  in  the  building,  as  well  as  in  the  apparatus 
for  instruction,  are  made  daily.  So  far  as  its  domestic 
economy  is  concerned,  the  appointments  of  the  establish- 
ment are  excellent ; indeed,  one  is  rather  inclined  to  criti- 
cise it  as  over-luxurious  for  boys  educated  to  be  soldiers. 
The  school-rooms  and  dormitories,  as  well  as  the  dining- 
room, where  the  tables  were  laid  with  a nice  service  of 
crockery  and  glass,  and  also  the  kitchens,  were  clean  and 
orderly.  We  cannot  but  wonder  that  the  streets  of  Rio 
de  Janeiro  should  be  dirtier  and  more  offensive  than 
those  of  any  other  city  we  have  visited,  when  we  see 
the  scrupulous  neatness  characteristic  of  all  its  public 
establishments.  The  observance  of  cleanliness  in  this  re- 
spect shows  that  the  Brazilians  recognize  its  importance, 
and  it  seems  strange  that  they  should  tolerate  nuisances 
in  their  streets  which  make  it  almost  impossible  to  pass 
through  many  of  them  on  foot. 


4T8 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


JuneYth. — Yesterday  we  visited  the  Mint,  the  Academy 
of  Fine  Arts,  and  a primary  school  for  girls.  Of  the  Mint  it 
is  scarcely  fair  to  judge  in  its  present  condition ; a new 
building  is  nearly  completed,  and  all  improvements  in 
machinery  are  wisely  deferred  until  the  establishment  is 
removed.  When  this  change  takes  place,  much  that  is 
antiquated  will  be  improved,  and  its  many  deficiencies 
supplied. 

There  is  little  knowledge  of,  or  interest  in,  art  in  Brazil. 
Pictures  are  as  rare  as  books  in  a Brazilian  house ; and 
though  Rio  de  Janeiro  has  an  Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  in- 
cluding a school  of  design  and  sculpture,  it  is  still  in  too  ele- 
mentary a condition  to  warrant  criticism.  The  only  inter- 
esting picture  in  the  collection  derives  its  attraction  wholly 
from  the  circumstances  connected  with  it,  not  at  all  from 
any  merit  in  the  execution.  It  is  a likeness  of  a negro  who, 
in  a shipwreck  off  the  coast,  saved  a number  of  lives  at  the 
risk  of  his  own.  When  he  had  brought  several  passengers 
to  the  shore,  he  was  told  that  two  children  remained  in  the 
ship.  He  swam  back  once  more  and  brought  them  safely 
to  the  beach,  but  sank  down  himself  exhausted,  and  was 
seized  with  hemorrhage.  A considerable  sum  was  raised 
for  him  in  the  city  of  Rio,  and  his  picture  was  placed  in 
the  Academy  to  commemorate  his  heroism. 

Of  the  public  school  for  girls  not  much  can  be  said. 
The  education  of  women  is  little  regarded  in  Brazil,  and  the 
standard  of  instruction  for  girls  in  the  public  schools  is  low. 
Even  in  the  private  schools,  where  the  children  of  the  better 
class  are  sent,  it  is  the  complaint  of  all  teachers  that  they 
are  taken  away  from  school  just  at  the  time  when  their 
minds  begin  to  develop.  The  majority  of  girls  in  Brazil 
who  go  to  school  at  all  are  sent  at  about  seven  or  eight 


PUBLIC  INSTITUTIONS  OF  BIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


479 


years  of  age,  and  are  considered  to  liave  finished  their  edu- 
cation at  thirteen  or  fourteen.  The  next  step  in  their  life  is 
marriage.  Of  course  there  are  exceptions;  some  parents 
wisely  leave  their  children  at  school,  or  direct  their  in- 
struction at  home,  till  they  are  seventeen  or  eighteen  years 
of  age,  and  others  send  their  girls  abroad.  But  usually, 
with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  accomplishments,  such 
as  French  or  piusic,  the  education  of  women  is  neglected, 
and  this  neglect  affects  the  whole  tone  of  society.  It  does 
not  change  the  general  truth  of  this  statement,  that  there 
are  Brazilian  ladies  who  would  be  recognized  in  the  best 
society  as  women  of  the  highest  intelligence  and  culture. 
But  they  are  the  exceptions,  as  they  inevitably  must  be 
under  the  present  system  of  instruction,  and  they  feel  its 
influence  upon  their  social  position  only  the  more  bitterly. 

Indeed,  many  of  the  women  I have  known  most  intimate- 
ly here  have  spoken  to  me  with  deep  regret  of  their  limited; 
imprisoned  existence.  There  is  not  a Brazilian  senhora, 
who  has  ever  thought  about  the  subject  at  all,  who  is  not 
aware  that  her  life  is  one  of  repression  and  constraint.  She 
cannot  go  out  of  her  house,  except  under  certain  conditions, 
without  awakening  scandal.  Her  education  leaves  her 
wholly  ignorant  of  the  most  common  topics  of  a wider  inter- 
est, though  perhaps  with  a tolerable  knowledge  of  French 
and  music.  The  world  of  books  is  closed  to  her ; for  there 
is  little  Portuguese  literature  into  which  she  is  allowed  to 
look,  and  that  of  other  languages  is  still  less  at  her  com- 
mand. She  knows  little  of  the  history  of  her  own  country, 
almost  nothing  of  that  of  others,  and  she  is  hardly  aware 
that  there  is  any  religious  faith  except  the  uniform  one 
of  Brazil  ; she  has  probably  never  heard  of  the  Reforma- 
tion, nor  does  she  dream  that  there  is  a sea  of  thought 


480 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


surging  in  the  world  outside,  constantly  developing  now 
phases  of  national  and  individual  life  ; indeed,  of  all  but 
her  own  narrow  domestic  existence  she  is  profoundly  igno- 
rant. 

On  one  occasion,  when  staying  at  a fazenda,  I took  up  a 
volume  which  was  lying  on  the  piano.  A book  is  such  a 
rare  sight,  in  the  rooms  occupied  by  the  family,  that  I was 
curious  to  see  its  contents.  As  I stood  turning  over  the 
leaves  (it  proved  to  be  a romance),  the  master  of  the 
house  came  up,  and  remarked  that  the  book  was  not  suit- 
able reading  for  ladies,  but  that  here  (putting  into  my  hand 
a small  volume)  was  a work  adapted  to  the  use  of  women 
and  children,  which  he  had  provided  for  the  senhoras  of 
his  family.  I opened  it,  and  found  it  to  be  a sort  of  text- 
book of  morals,  filled  with  commonplace  sentiments,  copy- 
book phrases,  written  in  a tone  of  condescending  indul- 
gence for  the  feminine  intellect,  women  being,  after  all, 
the  mothers  of  men,  and  understood  to  have  some  little 
influence  on  their  education.  I could  hardly  wonder,  after 
seeing  this  specimen  of  their  intellectual  food,  that  the  wife 
and  daughters  of  our  host  were  not  greatly  addicted  to 
reading.  Nothing  strikes  a stranger  more  than  the  absence 
of  books  in  Brazilian  houses.  If  the  father  is  a professional 
man,  he  has  his  small  library  of  medicine  or  law,  but  books 
are  never  seen  scattered  about  as  if  in  common  use ; they 
make  no  part  of  the  daily  life.  I repeat,  that  there  are  ex- 
ceptions. I well  remember  finding  in  the  sitting-room  of  a 
young  girl,  by  whose  family  we  had  been  most  cordially  re- 
ceived, a well-selected  library  of  the  best  literary  and  his- 
torical works  in  German  and  French  ; but  this  is  the  only 
instance  of  the  kind  we  met  with  during  our  year  in  Brazil. 
Even  when  the  Brazilian  women  have  received  the  ordinary 


PUBLIC  INSTITUTIONS  OF  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


481 


advantages  of  education,  there  is  something  in  their  home- 
life  so  restricted,  so  shut  out  from  natural  contact  with  ex- 
ternal influences,  that  this  in  itself  tends  to  cripple  their 
development.  Their  amusements  are  as  meagre  and  scanty 
as  their  means  of  instruction. 

In  writing  these  things  I but  echo  the  thought  of  many 
intelligent  Brazilians,  who  lament  a social  evil  which  they 
do  not  well  know  how  to  reform.  If  among  our  Brazilian 
friends  there  are  some  who,  familiar  with  the  more  pro- 
gressive aspect  of  life  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  question  the 
accuracy  of  my  statements,  I can  only  say  that  they  do 
not  know  the  condition  of  society  in  the  northern  cities 
and  provinces.  Among  my  own  sex,  I have  never  seen 
such  sad  lives  as  became  known  to  me  there, — lives  de- 
prived of  healthy,  invigorating  happiness,  and  intolerably 
monotonous, — a negative  suffering,  having  its  source,  it  is 
true,  in  the  absence  of  enjoyment  rather  than  in  the  pres- 
ence of  positive  evils,  but  all  the  more  to  be  deplored  be- 
cause so  stagnant  and  inactive. 

Behind  all  defects  in  methods  of  instruction,  there  lies  a 
fault  of  domestic  education,  to  be  lamented  throughout 
Brazil.  This  is  the  constant  association  with  black  ser- 
vants, and,  worse  still,  with  negro  children,  of  whom  there 
are  usually  a number  in  every  house.  Whether  the  low 
and  vicious  habits  of  the  negroes  are  the  result  of  slavery 
or  not,  they  cannot  be  denied  ; and  it  is  singular  to  see 
persons,  otherwise  careful  and  conscientious  about  their 
children,  allowing  them  to  live  in  the  constant  companion- 
ship of  their  blacks,  waited  upon  by  the  older  ones,  play- 
ing all  day  with  the  younger  ones.  It  shows  how  blind  we 
may  become,  by  custom,  to  the  most  palpable  dangers.  A 
stranger  observes  at  once  the  evil  results  of  this  contact 
21 


EE 


482 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


with  vulgarity  and  vice,  though  often  unnoticed  by  the 
parents.  In  the  capital,  some  of  these  evils  are  fast  disap- 
pearing ; indeed,  those  who  remember  Rio  de  Janeiro  forty 
years  ago  have  witnessed,  during  that  short  period,  a re- 
markable change  for  the  better  in  the  state  of  society.  Nor 
should  it  be.  forgotten  that  the  highest  authority  in  the 
community  is  exerted  in  the  cause  of  a liberal  culture  for 
women.  It  is  well  known  that  the  education  of  the  Impe- 
rial princesses  has  been  not  only  superintended,  but  in  a 
great  measure  personally  conducted,  by  their  father. 

June  8th.  — I was  prevented  yesterday  from  going  to  the 
Blind  Asylum  with  Mr.  Agassiz,  but  I transcribe  his  notes 
upon  this,  as  well  as  upon  the  Marine  Arsenal,  which  he 
also  visited  without  me. 

“ The  building  is  old  and  in  a ruinous  condition.  I was 
not  allowed  to  go  over  it,  everything  being  brought  to  the 
reception-room  for  my  inspection,  though  I told  the  director 
that  I did  not  care  about  the  external  arrangements,  but 
simply  wished  to  know  by  what  means  the  privations  of  the 
blind  were  alleviated  in  his  establishment.  The  same  pro- 
cesses of  routine  prevail  here  as  in  other  Schools  and  col- 
leges I have  seen  in  Rio.  This,  however,  is  not  peculiar  to 
Portuguese  or  Brazilian  habits  of  instruction.  The  old 
habit  of  overrating  memory,  and  neglecting  the  more  active 
and  productive  faculties  of  the  mind,  still  prevails  more  or 
less  in  education  everywhere.  I learned  little  of  the  gen- 
eral system  pursued.  The  teachers  were  more  anxious  to 
show  off  the  ability  of  special  pupils  in  reading,  writing 
from  dictation,  and  music,  than  to  explain  their  methods 
of  instruction.  Vocal  and  instrumental  music  seemed  the 
favorite  occupation  ; but  though  it  is  very  pathetic  to  hear 
the  blind  deplore  their  misfortune  and  express  their  craving 


PUBLIC  INSTITUTIONS  OF  RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 


483 


for  light  in  harmonious  sounds,  it  does  not,  after  all,  give 
much  information  as  to  the  way  in  which  their  calamity  is 
relieved.  I should  add,  that  their  musical  performance  is 
excellent,  and  does  great  credit  to  their  German  professor. 
It  struck  me  that  very  little  use  was  made  of  object-teach- 
ing, such  as  is  so  much  in  vogue  for  children  in  Germany. 
There  are  not  as  many  models  in  the  whole  establishment 
as  would  be  found  in  any  nursery  in  certain  parts  of  Ger- 
many. The  maps  also  are  very  poor. 

“ One  of  the  most  interesting  of  the  public  establishments 
at  Rio  de  Janeiro  is  the  Marine  Arsenal.  From  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico  to  Cape  Horn  there  is  not  to  be  found  on  the 
Atlantic  coast  another  port  where  a vessel  of  war,  or  even  a 
merchant  vessel  of  large  tonnage,  could  undergo  important 
repairs.  The  machine-shops  and  saw-mills  are  well  directed, 
and  are  deficient  in  none  of  the  improvements  belonging  to 
modern  establishments  of  the  kind.  The  dock  is  large  and 
constructed  of  granite.  A considerable  number  of  large 
vessels  have  been  built  at  this  shipyard  during  the  last 
few  years,  and  all  its  appointments  have  been  constantly 
improving  under  the  direction  of  several  successive  minis- 
ters of  the  navy.  Such  an  establishment  is,  in  fact,  a 
necessity  for  Brazil  ; possessing  as  she  does  eleven  hun- 
dred leagues  of  coast,  it  is  impossible  for  her  to  depend 
upon  other  countries  for  her  maritime  supplies.  The 
Marine  Arsenal  sends  out  from  its  school  and  shipyard 
many  able  engineers  and  clever  artisans,  who  carry  into 
ordinary  branches  of  industry  the  ability  they  have  ac- 
quired in  the  public  service.  Indeed,  this  establishment 
may  be  considered  as  a sort  of  school  of  industrial  arts, 
furnishing  the  country  with  good  workmen  in  various  de- 
partments of  labor.” 


484 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


This  week  Mr.  Agassiz  has  concluded  another  course  of 
six  lectures  given  at  the  College  of  Dom  Pedro  II. ; the 
subject,  “The  Formation  of  the  Amazonian  Valley,  and  its 
Productions.”  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  appearance 
of  ladies  on  such  occasions  no  longer  excites  comment. 
There  were  many  more  senhoras  among  the  listeners 
than  at  the  previous  lectures,  when  their  presence  was 
a novelty.  A Brazilian  audience  is  very  sympathetic;  in 
this  they  resemble  a European  assembly  more  than  our  own 
quiet,  undemonstrative  crowds.  There  is  always  a little 
stir,  a responsive  thrill,  when  anything  pleases  them,  and 
often  a spoken  word  of  commendation  or  criticism. 

June  10th.  — Theresopolis.  Yesterday,  accompanied  by 
Mr.  Glaziou,  Director  of  the  Passeio  Publico,  and  Dr. 
Nageli,  we  started  on  an  excursion  to  the  Organ  Mountains, 
leaving  Bio  in  the  boat  for  Piedade,  and  stopping  on  our 
way  at  the  little  island  of  Paqueta.  This  is  one  of  the 
prettiest  islands  of  the  harbor,  abounding  in  palms,  popu- 
lous with  pleasant  country-houses,  and  having  a very  pic- 
turesque shore,  broken  into  bays  and  inlets.  We  reached 
the  little  cluster  of  houses  called  Piedade  about  five  o’clock, 
and  took  the  omnibus  to  the  foot  of  the  serra.  The  hours 
of  public  conveyance  on  this  road  seem  ingeniously  ar- 
ranged to  prevent  the  traveller  from  seeing  its  beauties. 
The  greater  part  of  the  four  hours’  drive  is  made  after 
nightfall ; and  the  return  offers  no  compensation,  the  second 
journey  taking  place  before  daybreak.  We  passed  the  night 
at  the  foot  of  the  serra,  and  started  at  seven  o’clock  the 
next  morning  to  walk  up  the  mountain.  It  is  impossible  to 
describe  the  beauty  of  this  walk,  especially  on  such  a day  as 
we  were  favored  with,  varying  between  sunshine  and  shade, 
and  with  a fresh  breeze  which  saved  us  any  discomfort  from 


ORGAN  MOUNTAINS. 


485 


the  heat.  The  road  winds  gently  up  the  serra,  turning 
sometimes  with  so  sharp  an  angle  that  below  we  could 
see  all  the  ground  we  had  travelled  over.  On  one  hand  is 
the  mountain-side,  clothed  with  a vegetation  of  surpassing 
beauty,  bright  with  crimson  parasites,  with  the  rich  pur- 
ple flowers  of  the  Quaresma  and  the  delicate  blue  blossoms 
of  the  Utricularia,  as  fragile  and  as  graceful  as  the  harebell. 
On  the  other  hand,  we  looked  down  sometimes  into  narrow 
gorges,  clothed  with  magnificent  forest,  from  which  huge 
masses  of  rock  projected  here  and  there  ; sometimes  into 
wider  valleys  opening  out  into  the  plain  below,  and  giving 
a distant  view  of  the  harbor  and  its  archipelago  of  islands 
surrounded  by  mountains,  the  whole  scene  glittering  in  the 
sunshine,  or  veiled  by  shadows,  as  the  fitful  day  showed  it 
to  us. 

The  ascent  may  be  easily  accomplished  on  foot  in  three  or 
four  hours.  We  had  nothing- to  urge  us  forward,  however, 
except  a growing  desire  for  breakfast,  appeased  every  now 
and  then  by  an  orange,  of  which  we  had  a good  supply  in 
the  tin  case  for  plants,  and  many  a slow  train  of  laden  mules 
passed  us  in  their  upward  march,  and  left  us  far  behind  as  we 
loitered  along,  though  not  lazily.  On  the  contrary,  Mr.  Agas- 
siz and  his  friends  found  plenty  of  occupation  in  botanizing 
and  geologizing.  They  stopped  constantly  to  gather  para- 
sites, to  study  ferns  and  mosses,  to  break  boulders,  to  collect 
insects  and  the  little  land-shells  found  here  and  there  along 
the  road.  We  saw  one  most  beautiful  insect,  hardly  larger 
than  a lady-bug,  but  of  the  most  exquisite  colors  and  gleam- 
ing like  a jewel  on  the  leaf  where  it  had  alighted.  In 
breaking  the  stones  along  the  roadside  Mr.  Agassiz  found 
many  evidences  of  erratics,  several  of  them  being  Diorite, 
entirely  distinct  from  the  rock  in  place.  The  surfaces  of 


486 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


the  boulders  were  universally  decomposed  and  covered  with 
a uniform  crust,  so  that  it  was  necessary  to  split  them  in 
order  to  ascertain  their  true  nature.  From  distance  to 
distance  along  the  road  were  immense  fragments  of  rock, 
sometimes  twenty  or  thirty  feet  in  height.  These  huge 


Garrafao,  among  the  Organ  Mountains. 


masses  were  frequently  seen  hanging  on  the  brink  of  steep 
declivities,  as  if,  having  broken  off  from  the  heights  above, 
and  rolled  down,  they  had  been  prevented  from  advancing 
farther  by  some  obstacle,  and  had  become  gradually  em- 


ORGAN  MOUNTAINS. 


4 ST 


bedded  in  the  soil.  Many  of  these  boulders  were  clothed 
in  soft,  thick  reindeer  moss,  so  like  the  reindeer  moss  of  the 
Arctics  that,  if  specifically  distinct,  the  difference  could  not 
be  detected  except  by  the  most  careful  examination.  It 
suggests  the  question  whether  there  are  any  representatives 
of  the  tropical  flora  among  the  lichens  and  pines  of  the 
high  north.  As  we  advanced,  the  character  of  the  vegeta- 
tion changed  considerably,  and  we  began  to  feel,  by  the  in- 
creasing freshness  of  the  air,  that  we  were  getting  into 
higher  regions.  The  near  view  became  more  beautiful  as 
we’  approached  the  heart  of  the  mountains,  coming  under 
the  shadow  of  their  strange  peaks,  which  looked  sharp  and 
attenuated  from  a distance,  but  changed  into  wonderful 
masses  of  bare  rock,  very  grand  in  their  effect,  as  we  drew 
closer  to  them.  We  reached  the  hotel  at  Theresopolis  at 
about  two  o’clock.  After  our  long  walk,  the  answer  we 
received  to  our  inquiry  about  breakfast  at  the  little  grocery 
adjoining  the  inn  was  rather  discouraging.  What  could 
they  give  us  on  short  notice  ? “ Only  four  eggs  and  some 

sausage.”  However,  the  master  of  the  hotel  made  his  ap- 
• pearance,  opened  his  house,  where,  to  judge  from  its  closed 
doors  and  windows,  the  advent  of  guests  is  rare,  and  com- 
forted us  with  the  information  that  breakfast  “ pode  se  ar- 
ranjar.”  Indeed,  from  the  dish  of  eggs  which  made  its 
appearance  soon  afterwards,  we  might  have  supposed  that 
all  the  hens  in  the  village  had  been  called  upon  to  contrib- 
ute, and  we  enjoyed  a breakfast  for  which  mountain  air 
and  exercise  had  supplied  the  best  sauce. 

The  village  of  Theresopolis  is  very  prettily  situated,  lying 
in  a dip  between  the  mountains  and  commanding  a mag- 
nificent view  of  the  peaks,  one  of  which  stands  out  like  a 
tall,  narrow  tower  against  the  sky.  Near  it  is  another  sharp 


488 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


summit,  on  tlie  extreme  point  of  which  a large  boulder  is 
placed.  It  looks  as  if  a touch  would  dislodge  it  ; and  yet 
for  how  many  a long  year  has  it  held  its  place  there  through 
storm  and  sunshine  ! We  looked  up  at  this  huge  fragment 
of  rock  on  its  dizzy  height,  and  wondered  whether  it  was 
erratic,  or  simply  an  effect  of  decomposition  on  the  spot,  — 
a point  impossible  of  decision  at  that  distance.  If  the  lat- 
ter, it  seems  strange  that  the  weather  should  have  worn 
and  excavated  such  a mass  underneath,  without  destroying 
its  upper  surface,  thus  detaching  it  from  the  mountain,  till 
it  stands,  as  now,  in  bold  relief,  only  supported  by  a single 
point  of  attachment  on  the  extreme  summit.  We  spent  the 
rest  of  the  day  in  a walk  to  a very  pretty  cascade  which 
comes  rushing  down  through  the  wood  a mile  or  two  from 
the  village. 

June  11th.  — We  left  the  inn  at  half  past  seven  this  morn- 
ing, to  pass  the  day  again  in  rambling.  Following  the  main 
road  for  a quarter  of  a mile  or  so  beyond  the  village,  we 
presently  turned  to.  the  left  into  a narrow,  shady  pathway. 
It  led  us  through  the  woods  to  the  edge  of  a deep  basin 
sunk  between  the  mountains,  on  the  slopes  of  which  were 
strewn  many  immense  boulders.  A curious  feature  of  the 
Organ  Mountains  which  we  have  observed  repeatedly  even 
in  this  short  excursion  is,  that  between  their  strangely 
fantastic  forms  the  country  sinks  down  into  well-defined 
basins,  which  usually  have  no  outlet.  Following  the  brink 
of  such  a basin  for  a couple  of  miles,  and  crossing  an  in- 
tervening ridge,  we  came  out  upon  a kind  of  plateau  over- 
hanging another  depression  of  the  same  character,  and  com- 
manding a magnificent  view  of  the  chain,  in  the  very  centre 
of  which  it  seems  to  be,  for  the  mountains  rise  tier  upon 
tier  around  it  on  every  side.  On  this  plateau  stands  the 


ORGAN  MOUNTAINS. 


489 


fazenda  called  St.  Louis,  belonging  to  Mr.  d’Escragnolle. 
The  exquisite  beauty  of  the  site  and  the  hospitality  of  its 
owner  have  made  this  fazenda  a favorite  resort  for  travel- 
lers. The  grounds  are  laid  out  with  much  taste,  and  Mr. 
d’Escragnolle’s  success  in  raising  many  of  the  European 
fruits  and  vegetables,  as  well  as  those  of  his  own  country, 
makes  it  the  more  to  be  regretted  that  this  beautiful  region 
should  be  so  little  cultivated.  Pears,  peaches,  strawberries, 
thrive  admirably,  as  also  do  green  peas,  asparagus,  arti- 
chokes, and  cauliflowers.  The  climate  strikes  a happy 
medium  between  the  heat  in  the  neighborhood  of  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  which  brings  these  products  to  too  rapid  a de- 
velopment, drying  them  up  before  they  have  time  to 
mature,  and  the  sharp  cold  of  higher  mountain  regions. 
But  though  at  so  short  a distance  from  the  capital,  the 
transport  is  so  difficult  and  expensive  that  Mr.  d’Escrag- 
nolle, instead  of  sending  the  produce  of  his  farm  to  the 
city  market,  as  he  would  gladly  do,  feeds  his  pigs  with 
cauliflowers.  We  passed  the  rest  of  the  day  most  delight- 
fully in  this  charming  country  place.  Mr.  Agassiz  and 
Mr.  Glaziou  ascended  one  of  the  near  mountain  summits, 
but  did  not  gain  so  extensive  a view  as  they  had  hoped,  on 
account  of  an  intervening  spur.  They  were  able  to  distin- 
guish three  parallel  ridges,  however,  separated  by  interven- 
ing depressions.  Toward  evening,  while  the  mountains  were 
still  bright  with  the  purple  glory  of  the  sunset,  though 
shadows  were  settling  over  the  valleys,  we  started  on  our  re- 
turn, bidding  good  by  with  great  regret  to  our  kind  host, 
who  warmly  pressed  us  to  stay.  The  path  we  had  followed 
in  the  morning,  without  giving  a thought  to  its  irregular- 
ities, seemed  quite  broken  and  difficult  by  night.  The 
slopes  along  which  it  ran  were  changed,  in  the  dim  light,  to 
21* 


490 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


sudden  precipices,  and  we  picked  our  steps  with  care  be- 
tween rocks  and  over  fallen  logs  and  rivulets.  It  was  bright 
starlight  as  we  came  out  of  the  woods  upon  the  high  road. 
The  village  la 7 below,  its  lights  twinkling  cheerily,  and  the 
peaks  and  towers  behind  it  drawn  with  strange  distinctness 
against  the  night  sky. 


Organ  Mountains. 


June  12th. — Barreira.  This  morning  at  seven  o’clock 

we  were  on  our  way  down  the  serra.  Mr.  Agassiz  deplores 
the  necessity  which  obliges  him  to  leave  this  region  after  so 
short  an  examination  of  its  striking  features.  A naturalist 
might  pass  months  here,  and  find  every  day  rich  in  results. 
As  we  left  the  hotel  the  sun  was  just  gilding  the  highest 
summits,  while  white  clouds  rose  softly  from  the  valleys, 
and,  floating  upward,  broke  into  fleecy  fragments  against 
the  mountain-sides.  Having  the  day  before  us,  we  de- 


ORGAN  MOUNTAINS. 


491 


scended  as  slowly  as  we  had  mounted  the  serra,  stopping 
almost  at  every  step  to  gather  plants,  to  examine  rocks,  to 
wonder  at  the  strange  position  of  the  immense  boulders 
hanging  often  just  on  the  brow  of  some  steep  declivity. 
I wandered  on  beyond  the  others  and  sat  down  to  wait  for 
them  on  the  low  stone  wall,  forming  a parapet  on  the  edge 
of  the  road.  Directly  before  me  rose  the  bare,  rocky  sur- 
face of  one  of  the  great  peaks ; a vapory  white  cloud  hung 
midway  upon  it;  shadows  floated  over  it.  On  the  other 
side  I looked  down  upon  wooded  valleys  and  mountains  in 
strange  confusion,  while  far  below,  stretching  out  to  the  sea, 
lay  the  billowy  plain  tossed  into  endless  soft  green  waves. 
The  stillness  made  the  scene  more  impressive,  the  silence 
being  only  occasionally  broken  by  the  click  of  hoofs,  as  a 
train  of  mules  came  cautiously  down  the  flagged  road. 
While  I sat  there  a liteira  passed  me  slung  between  mules ; 
a mode  of  travelling  fast  disappearing  with  the  improve- 
ments of  the  roads,  but  still  in  use  for  women  and  children 
in  certain  parts  of  the  country.  We  stopped  to  breakfast  at 
a little  venda  about  half-way  down  the  serra  ; here  the  boul- 
ders are  most  remarkable  from  their  great  size  and  singular 
position.  We  reached  the  inn  at  the  bottom  of  the  serra 
between  two  and  three  o’clock,  and  are  now  sitting  in  the 
little  piazza,  while  a drenching  rain,  which  fortunately  did 
not  begin  till  we  were  under  shelter,  swells  the  stream  near 
by,  and  is  fast  changing  it  to  a rapid  torrent.  I will  add 
here  such  observations  respecting  the  geological  structure 
of  this  mountain  range  as  Mr.  Agassiz  has  been  able  to 
make  in  our  short  excursion. 

“ The  chain  is  formed  by  the  sharp  folding  up  of  strata, 
sometimes  quite  vertically,  in  other  instances  with  a slope 
more  or  less  steep,  but  always  rather  sudden.  To  one  stand- 


492 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


ing  on  the  hill  to  the  east  of  Theresopolis,  the  whole  range 
presents  itself  in  a perfect  profile ; the  axis,  on  either  side 
of  which  dip  the  almost  vertical  beds  of  metamorphic  rocks 
composing  the  chain,  occupies  about  the  centre  of  the  range. 
To  the  north,  though  very  steeply  inclined,  the  beds  are  not 
so  vertical  as  in  the  southern  prolongation  of  the  range. 
The  consequence  of  this  difference  is  the  formation  of  more 
massive  and  less  disconnected  summits  on  the  north  side ; 
while  on  the  south  side,  where  the  strata  are  nearly  or 
quite  vertical,  the  harder  sets  of  beds  alone  have  remained 
standing,  the  softer  intervening  beds  having  been  gradually 
disintegrated.  By  this  process  have  been  formed  those 
strange  peaks  which  appear  from  a distance  like  a row 
of  organ-pipes,  and  have  suggested  the  name  by  which  the 
chain  is  known.  They  consist  of  vertical  beds  isolated 
from  the  general  mass  in  consequence  of  the  disappearance 
of  contiguous  strata.  The  aspect  of  these  mountains  from 
Rio  is  much  the  same  as  from  Theresopolis,  only  that  from 
the  two  points  of  view  — one  being  to  the  northeast,  the 
other  to  the  southwest  of  the  range  — their  summits  pre- 
sent themselves  in  the  reverse  order.  When  seen  in  com- 
plete profile  their  slender  appearance  is  most  striking. 
Viewed  from  the  side,  the  broad  surfaces  of  the  strata, 
though  equally  steep,  exhibit  a triangular  form  rather  than 
that  of  vertical  columns.  It  is  strange  that  the  height  of 
the  Organ  Mountain  peaks,  so  conspicuous  a feature  in 
the  landscape  of  Rio  de  Janeiro,  should  not  have  been  ac- 
curately measured.  The  only  precise  indication  I have 
been  able  to  find  is  recorded  by  Liais,  who  gives  7,000  feet 
as  the  maximum  height  observed  by  him. 

“ These  abrupt  peaks  frequently  surround  closed  basins, 
very  symmetrical  in  shape,  but  without  any  outlet.  On 


ORGAN  MOUNTAINS. 


493 


account  of  this  singular  formation,  the  glacial  phenomena 
which  abound  in  the  Organ  Mountains  are  of  a peculiar 
character.  At  first,  I was  at  a loss  to  explain  how  loose 
masses  of  rock,  descending  from  the  heights  above,  should 
be  caught  on  the  edges  of  these  basins,  instead  of  rolling 
to  the  bottom.  But  their  position  becomes  quite  natural 
when  we  remember  that  the  ice  must  have  remained  in 
these  depressions  long  after  it  had  disappeared,  or  nearly 
disappeared,  from  the  slopes  above.  Hindered  from  ad- 
vancing, these  huge  masses  of  rock  have  become  gradually 
embedded  in  the  soil,  and  are  now  solidly  fixed  in  positions 
which  would  be  perfectly  inexplicable,  unless  we  suppose 
the  basin  to  have  been  formerly  filled  with  something  which 
offered  an  obstacle  to  their  farther  descent.  Moraines  also 
abut  upon  these  depressions,  coming  to  an  abrupt  close 
upon  their  margin.  Morainic  soil  — that  is,  masses  of  drift 
with  all  sorts  of  loose  materials  buried  in  it  — abounds 
everywhere  in  this  region;  but,  on  the  whole,  the  glacial 
phenomena  are  difficult  to  study,  because  the  heavy  growth 
of  forest  has  covered  all  inequalities  of  the  soil,  and,  except 
where  sections  have  been  made  or  ground  has  been  cleared, 
the  outlines  are  lost.” 

This  was  our  final  excursion  in  Brazil.  The  next  morn 
ing  we  returned  to  the  city  ; and  the  few  remaining  days 
were  spent  in  preparations  for  departure,  and  in  bidding 
farewell  to  the  friends  who  had  made  Bio  de  Janeiro  almost 
like  a home  to  us.  Among  the  pleasant  incidents  of  this 
last  week,  was  a breakfast  given  by  Mr.  Ledgerwood,  who 
was  then  conducting  the  business  of  the  American  legation 
in  the  temporary  absence  of  our  Minister,  General  Webb. 
This  occasion,  at  which  Mr.  Agassiz  was  invited  to  meet 
several  members  of  the  Brazilian  administration,  gave  him 


494 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


an  opportunity  of  expressing  his  sense  of  their  uniform 
kindness  and  consideration  in  furthering  to  the  utmost  the 
scientific  objects  which  had  brought  him  to  Brazil.  On  the 
following  day  (the  2d  of  July),  we  sailed  for  the  United 
States,  carrying  with  us  to  our  northern  home  a store  of 
pleasant  memories  and  vivid  pictures  to  enrich  our  life 
hereafter  with  tropical  warmth  and  color. 


GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS  OF  BRAZIL. 


495 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS  OF  BRAZIL. 

Religion  and  Clergy.  — Education.  — Law,  Medical,  and  Scientific 
Schools.  — High  and  Common  Schools.  — Public  Library  and  Museum 
in  Rio  de  Janeiro.  — Historical  and  Geographical  Institute.  — Social 
and  Domestic  Relations.  — Public  Functionaries.  — Agriculture.  — 
Zones  of  Vegetation. — Coffee. — Cotton. — Timber  and  other  Products 
of  the  Amazons.' — Cattle.  — Territorial  Subdivision  of  the  Great 
Valley.  — Emigration.  — Foreigners.  — Paraguayan  War. 


1 cannot  close  this  book,  written  for  the  most  part  by 
another  hand,  without  a few  words  as  to  my  general  impres- 
sions of  Brazil.  No  one  will  expect  from  me  an  essay  on 
the  social  and  political  aspects  of  the  whole  country,  even 
had  I remained  there  long  enough  to  acquire  the  right 
of  judgment  on  these  matters.  I am  so  unaccustomed  to 
dealing  with  them  that  my  opinions  would  be  entitled  to 
little  weight.  There  is,  however,  another  point  of  view, 
more  general,  but  perhaps  more  comprehensive  also,  from 
which  every  intelligent  man  may  form  an  estimate  of  the 
character  of  a people  which,  if  sincere,  will  be  in  the  main 
sound  and  just,  without  including  an  intimate  knowledge 
of  their  institutions,  or  the  practical  working  of  their  laws. 
My  scientific  life  has  brought  me  into  relations  with  a world 
wholly  unknown  to  me  before  ; under  conditions  more  favor- 
able than  were  possible  for  my  predecessors  in  the  same 
region,  I have  studied  this  tropical  nature,  so  rich,  so 
grandiose,  so  instructive ; I have  seen  a great  Empire 
founded  in  the  midst  of  unlimited  material  resources,  and 
advancing  to  higher  civilization  under  the  inspiration  of  a 


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A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


sovereign  as  enlightened  as  he  is  humane.  I must  have 
been  blind  to  everything  except  my  science,  had  I not  a 
word  to  say  of  Brazil  as  a nation,- — of  her  present  con- 
dition and  her  future  prospects. 

There  is  much  that  is  discouraging  in  the  aspect  of 
Brazil,  even  for  those  who  hope  and  believe  as  I do,  that 
she  has  before  her  an  honorable  and  powerful  career: 
There  is  much  also  that  is  very  cheering,  that  leads  me  to 
believe  that  her  life  as  a nation  will  not  belie  her  great  gifts 
as  a country.  Should  her  moral  and  intellectual  endow- 
ments grow  into  harmony  with  her  wonderful  natural 
beauty  and  wealth,  the  world  will  not  have  seen  a fairer 
land.  At  present  there  are  several  obstacles  to  this  pro- 
gress ; obstacles  which  act  like  a moral  disease  upon  the 
people.  Slavery  still  exists  among  them.  It  is  true  that  it 
is  on  the  wane ; true  that  it  has  received  a mortal  blow ; 
but  the  natural  death  of  slavery  is  a lingering  illness, 
wasting  and  destroying  the  body  it  has  attacked.  Next 
to  this  I would  name,  among  the  influences  unfavorable 
to  progress,  the  character  of  the  clergy.  In  saying  this  I 
disclaim  any  reference  to  the  national  religion.  It  is  of  the 
character  of  the  clergy  I speak,  not  of  the  church  they  rep- 
resent. Whatever  be  the  church  organization  in  a country 
where  instruction  is  still  so  intimately  linked  with  a state 
religion  as  it  is  in  Brazil,  it  is  of  infinite  importance  that  the 
clergy  themselves  should  not  only  be  men  of  high  moral 
character,  but  of  studious,  thoughtful  lives.  They  are  the 
teachers  of  the  people,  and  as  long  as  they  believe  that  the 
mind  can  be  fed  with  tawdry  street  processions,  with  lighted 
candles,  and  cheap  bouquets ; and  as  long  as  the  people 
accept  this  kind  of  instruction,  they  will  be  debased  and  en- 
feebled by  it.  Shows  of  this  kind  are  of  almost  daily  occur- 


GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS  OF  BRAZIL. 


497 


reiice  in  all  the  large ’cities  of  Brazil.  They  interfere  with 
the  ordinary  occupations,  and  make  working  days  the  ex- 
ception rather  than  the  rule.  It  must  be  remembered  that 
in  Brazil  there  is  no  laborious,  cultivated  class  of  priests, 
such  as  have  been  an  honor  to  ecclesiastical  literature  in 
the  Old  World ; there  are  no  fine  institutions  of  learning 
connected  with  the  Church.  As  a general  thing,  the  igno- 
rance of  the  clergy  is  universal,  their  immorality  patent, 
their  influence  very  extensive  and  deep-rooted.  There  are 
honorable  exceptions,  but  they  are  not  numerous  enough  to 
elevate  the  class  to  which  they  belong.  But  if  their  private 
life  is  open  to  blame,  the  Brazilian  priests  are  distinguished 
for  their  patriotism.  At  all  times  they  have  occupied  high 
public  stations,  serving  in  the  Legislative  Assembly,  in  the 
Senate,  and  even  nearer  to  the  throne ; yet  their  power  has 
never  been  exerted  in  favor  of  Ultramontane  tendencies. 
Independent  religious  thought  seems,  however,  rare  in 
Brazil.  There  may  perhaps  be  scepticism  ; but  I think 
this  is  not  likely  to  be  extensively  the  case,  for  the  Bra- 
zilians are  instinctively  a believing  people,  tending  rather 
to  superstition  than  to  doubt.  Oppression  in  matters  of 
faith  is  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  their  institutions.  Prot- 
estant clergymen  are  allowed  to  preach  freely ; but,  as  a 
general  thing,  Protestantism  does  not  attract  the  Southern 
nations,  and  it  may  be  doubted  whether  its  advocates 
will  have  a very  wide-spread  success.  However  this  may 
be,  every  friend  to  Brazil  must  wish  to  see  its  present 
priesthood  replaced  by  a more  vigorous,  intelligent,  and 
laborious  clergy. 

In  order  to  form  a just  estimate  of  the  present  condition 
of  education  in  Brazil,  and  its  future  prospects,  we  must 
not  consider  it  altogether  from  our  own  stand-point.  The 


498 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


truth  is  that  all  steady  progress  in  Brazil  dates  from  her 
declaration  of  independence,  and  that  is  a very  recent  fact 
in  her  history.  Since  she  has  passed  from  colonial  to  na- 
tional life  her  relations  with  other  countries  have  enlarged, 
antiquated  prejudices  have  been  effaced,  and  with  a more 
intense  individual  existence  she  has  assumed  also  a more 
cosmopolitan  breadth  of  ideas.  But  a political  revolution 
is  more  rapidly  accomplished  than  the  remoulding  of  the 
nation  which  is  its  result,  — its  consequence  rather  than 
its  accompaniment.  Even  now,  after  half  a century  of  in- 
dependent existence,  intellectual  progress  in  Brazil  is  man- 
ifested rather  as  a tendency,  a desire,  so  to  speak,  giving 
a progressive  movement  to  society,  than  as  a positive  fact. 
The  intellectual  life  of  a nation  when  fully  developed  has 
its  material  existence  in  large  and  various  institutions 
of  learning,  scattered  throughout  the  country.  Except  in 
a very  limited  and  local  sense,  this  is  not  yet  the  case  in 
Brazil. 

I did  not  visit  San  Paolo,  and  I cannot  therefore  speak 
from  personal  observation  of  the  Faculty  which  stands 
highest  in  general  estimation ; I can,  however,  testify  to 
the  sound  learning  and  liberal  culture  of  many  of  its 
graduates  whom  it  has  been  my  good  fortune  to  know, 
and  whose  characters  as  gentlemen  and  as  students  bear 
testimony  to  the  superior  instruction  they  have  received  at 
the  hands  of  their  Alma  Mater.  I was  told  that  the  best 
schools,  after  those  of  San  Paolo,  were  those  of  Bahia  and 
Pernambuco.  I did  not  visit  them,  as  my  time  was  too 
short ; but  I should  think  that  the  presence  of  the  profes- 
sional faculties  established  in  both  these  cities  would  tend 
to  raise  the  character  of  the  lower  grades  of  education. 
The  regular  faculties  embrace  only  medical  and  legal 


GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS  OF  BRAZIL. 


499 


studies.  The  instruction  in  both  is  thorough,  though  per- 
haps limited ; at  least  I felt  that,  in  the  former,  in  which 
my  own  studies  have  prepared  me  to  judge,  those  acces- 
sory branches  which,  after  all,  lie  at  the  foundation  of  a 
superior  medical  education,  are  either  wanting  or  are 
taught  very  imperfectly.  Neither  zoology,  comparative 
anatomy,  botany,  physics,  nor  chemistry  is  allowed  suf- 
ficient weight  in  the  medical  schools.  The  education  is 
one  rather  of  books  than  of  facts.  Indeed,  as  long  as  the 
prejudice  against  manual  labor  of  all  kinds  exists  in  Brazil, 
practical  instruction  will  be  deficient ; as  long  as  students 
of  nature  think  it  unbecoming  a gentleman  to  handle  his 
own  specimens,  to  carry  his  own  geological  hammer,  to 
make  his  own  scientific  preparations,  he  will  remain  a mere 
dilettante  in  investigation.  He  may  be  very  familiar  with 
recorded  facts,  but  he  will  make  no  original  researches.  On 
this  account,  and  on  account  of  their  personal  indolence, 
field  studies  are  foreign  to  Brazilian  habits.  Surrounded  as 
they  are  by  a nature  rich  beyond  comparison,  their  natural- 
ists are  theoretical  rather  than  practical.  They  know  more 
of  the  bibliography  of  foreign  science  than  of  the  wonder- 
ful fauna  and  flora  with  which  they  are  surrounded. 

Of  the  schools  and  colleges  in  Bio  de  Janeiro  I have  more 
right  to  judge  than  of  those  above  mentioned.  Several  of 
them  are  excellent.  The  Ecole  Centrale  deserves  a special 
notice.  It  corresponds  to  what  we  call  a scientific  school, 
and  nowhere  in  Brazil  have  I seen  an  educational  institu- 
tion where  improved  methods  of  teaching  were  so  highly 
appreciated  and  so  generally  adopted.  The  courses  of 
mathematics,  chemistry,  physics,  and  the  natural  sciences 
are  comprehensive  and  thorough.  And  yet  even  in  this 
institution  I was  struck  with  the  scantiness  of  means  for 


500 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


piactical  illustration  and  experiment;  its  professors  do'  not 
yet  seem  to  understand  that  it  is  impossible  to  teach  any 
of  the  physical  sciences  wholly  or  mainly  from  text-books. 
The  facilities  granted  to  pupils  in  this  school,  and  perhaps 
still  more  in  the  military  school,  are  very  great.  The  in- 
struction is  entirely  gratuitous,  and  in  the  military  school 
the  students  are  not  only  fed  and  clothed,  etc. ; they  are 
even  paid  for  their  attendance,  being  considered  as  belong- 
ing to  the  army  from  the  time  they  enter  the  school. 

The  Dom  Pedro  Segundo  College  is  the  best  school  of 
that  class  I have  seen  in  Brazil.  It  may  be  compared  to 
our  New  England  high  schools,  and  fully  deserves  the 
reputation  it  enjoys. 

Of  the  common  schools  I saw  little.  Of  course,  in  a 
country  where  the  population  is  sparsely  scattered  over 
very  extensive  districts,  it  must  be  difficult  to  gather  the 
children  in  schools,  outside  of  the  large  cities.  Where  such 
schools  have  been  organized  the  instruction  is  gratuitous ; 
but  competent  teachers  are  few,  the  education  very  lim- 
ited, and  the  means  of  instruction  scanty.  Beading,  writ- 
ing, and  ciphering,  with  the  least  possible  smattering  of 
geography,  form  the  groundwork  of  all  these  schools.  The 
teachers  labor  under  great  difficulties,  because  they  have 
not  the  strong  support  of  the  community.  There  is  little 
general  appreciation  of  the  importance  of  education  as  the 
basis  without  which  all  higher  civilization  is  impossible. 
I have,  however,  noticed  throughout  Brazil  a disposition  to 
give  a practical  education,  a training  in  some  trade,  to  the 
poor  children.  Establishments  of  this  kind  exist  in  almost 
all  the  larger  cities.  This  is  a good  sign  ; it  shows  that 
they  attach  a proper  value  to  labor,  at  least  for  the  lower 
classes,  and  aim  at  raising  a working  population.  In  these 


GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS  OF  BRAZIL. 


501 


schools  blacks  and  whites  are,  so  to  speak,  industrially 
united.  Indeed,  there  is  no  antipathy  of  race  to  be  over- 
come in  Brazil,  either  among  the  laboring  people  or  in  the 
higher  walks  of  life.  I was  pleased  to  see  pupils,  without 
distinction  of  race  or  color,  mingling  in  the  exercises. 

It  is  surprising  that,  in  a country  so  rich  in  mineral 
wealth,  there  should  exist  no  special  Mining  School,  and 
that  everything  connected  with  the  working  of  the  mines 
should  be  under  the  immediate  supervision  of  the  Minister 
of  Public  Works,  without  the  assistance  of  a special  office 
for  the  superintendence  of  mining  operations.  Nothing 
would  more  speedily  increase  the  value  of  the  mineral  lands 
of  the  whole  country  than  a regular  geological  survey, 
which  has  not  yet  been  begun.* 

The  Imperial  Library  at  Rio  de  Janeiro  should  not  be 
omitted  from  an  enumeration  of  its  educational  establish- 
ments. It  is  very  fairly  supplied  with  books  in  all  depart- 
ments of  learning,  and  is  conducted  in  a very  liberal  spirit, 
suffering  no  limitation  from  religious  or  political  prejudice. 
In  fact,  tolerance  and  benevolence  are  common  characteris- 
tics of  the  institutions  of  learning  in  Brazil.  The  Imperial 
Museum  of  Natural  History  in  the  Capital  is  antiquated  ; 
to  any  one  acquainted  with  Museums  which  are  living  and 
progressive,  it  is  evident  that  the  collections  it  contains 
have  been  allowed  to  remain  for  years  in  their  present  con- 

* I deeply  regret  that  I could  not  visit  the  mining  districts  of  Brazil.  Es- 
pecially would  I have  liked  to  examine  for  myself  the  Cascalho,  in  which  the 
diamonds  are  found.  From  collections* which  I owe  to  the  kindness  of  Dr. 
Yieira  de  Mattos  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  and  Senhor  Antonio  de  Lacerda  in  Bahia, 
I am  prepared  to  find  that  the  whole  diamond-bearing  formation  is  glacial 
drift.  I do  not  mean  the  rocks  in  which  the  diamonds  occur  in  their  primary 
position,  but  the  secondary  agglomerations  of  loose  materials  from  which  they 
are  washed 


502 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


dition,  without,  additions  or  improvements.  The  mounted 
animals,  mammalia  and  birds,  are  faded  ; and  the  fishes, 
with  the  exception  of  a few  beautifully  stuffed  specimens 
from  the  Amazons,  give  no  idea  of  the  variety  to  be 
found  in  the  Brazilian  waters.  A better  collection  might 
be  made  any  morning  in  the  fish-market.  The  Museum 
contains  some  very  fine  fossil  remains  from  the  valley  of  the 
San  Francisco  and  from  Ceara,  but  no  attempt  has  as  yet 
been  made  to  arrange  them. 

The  only  learned  society  deserving  a special  mention  is 
the  Historical  and  Geographical  Institute.  Its  Transactions 
are  regularly  published,  and  form  already  a series  of  many 
volumes,  full  of  valuable  documents,  chiefly  relative  to  the 
history  of  South  America.  The  meetings  are  held  in  the 
Imperial  Palace  of  Bio,  and  are  habitually  presided  over  by 
his  Majesty  the  Emperor. 

I cannot  close  what  I have  to  say  of  instruction  in 
Brazil  without  adding  that,  in  a country  where  only  half 
the  nation  is  educated,  there  can  be  no  complete  intellec- 
tual progress.  Where  the  difference  of  education  makes 
an  intelligent  sympathy  between  men  and  women  almost 
impossible,  so  that  their  relation  is  necessarily  limited  to 
that  of  the  domestic  affections,  never  raised  except  in  some 
very  exceptional  cases  to  that  of  cultivated  companionship, 
the  development  of  the  people  as  a whole  must  remain  im- 
perfect and  partial.  I believe,  however,  that,  especially  in 
this  direction,  a rapid  reform  may  be  expected.  I have  heard 
so  many  intelligent  Brazilians  lament  the  want  of  suitable 
instruction  for  women  in  their  schools,  that  I think  the 
standard  of  education  for  girls  will  steadily  be  raised.  Re 
membering  the  antecedents  of  the  Brazilians,  their  inher- 
ited notions  as  to  what  is  becoming  in  the  privacy  and 


GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS  OF  BRAZIL. 


503 


restraint  of  a woman’s  life,  we  are  not  justified,  however 
false  these  ideas  may  seem  to  us,  in  considering  the  present 
generation  as  responsible  for  them  ; they  are  also  too 
deeply  rooted  to  be  changed  in  a day. 

On  several  occasions  I have  alluded  in  terms  of  praise  to 
the  working  of  the  institutions  of  Brazil.  Nothing  can  be 
more  liberal  than  the  Constitution  of  the  land  ; every 
guaranty  is  therein  secured  to  the  freest  assertion  of  all 
the  natural  rights  of  man.  And  yet  there  are  some  fea- 
tures in  the  habits  of  the  people,  probably  the  results  of 
an  antiquated  social  condition,  which  impede  the  progress 
of  the  nation.  It  should  not  be  forgotten  that  the  white 
population  of  Brazil  is  chiefly  descended  from  the  Portu- 
guese, and  that  of  all  Europe  Portugal  is  the  country  which 
at  the  time  of  the  discovery  and  settlement  of  Brazil,  had 
least  been  affected  by  the  growth  of  our  modern  civilization. 
Indeed,  the  great  migrations  which  convulsed  Europe  in 
the  Middle  Ages,  and  the  Reformation,  upon  which  the  new 
social  order  chiefly  rests,  have  scarcely  affected  Portugal ; 
so  that  Roman  ways,  Roman  architecture,  and  a degenerate 
Latin  were  still  flourishing  when  her  Transatlantic  colo- 
nies were  founded ; and,  as  in  all  colonies,  the  conditions 
of  the  mother  country  were  but  slowly  modified.  No 
wonder,  therefore,  that  the  older  structures  of  Rio  de 
Janeiro  should  recall,  in  the  most  surprising  manner, 
the  architecture  of  ancient  Rome,  as  disclosed  by  the  ex- 
cavations of  Herculaneum  and  Pompeii,  and  that  the  social 
condition  of  Brazil  should  remind  us  of  the  habits  of  a 
people  among  whom  women  played  so  subordinate  a part. 
It  seems  to  me  that  even  now  the  administration  of  the 
provinces,  as  in  the  Roman  civilization,  is  calculated  to  en- 
force the  law,  rather  than  to  develop  the  material  resources 


504 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


of  the  country.  I have  been  surprised  to  find  young  law- 
yers almost  invariably  at  the  bead  of  the  administration  of 
the  provinces,  where  practical  men,  conversant  with  the  in- 
terests of  agriculture,  commerce,  and  the  mechanical  arts, 
would,  in  my  opinion,  have  been  better  adapted  to  the 
pressing  duty  of  stimulating  all  pursuits  connected  with 
the  active  life  of  a young  and  aspiring  nation. 

The  exaggerated  appreciation  of  political  employment 
prevailing  everywhere  is  a misfortune.  It  throws  into  the 
shade  all  other  occupations,  and  loads  the  government  with 
a crowd  of  paid  officials  who  uselessly  encumber  the  public 
service  and  are  a drain  upon  the  public  funds.  Every  man 
who  has  received  an  education  seeks  a political  career,  as 
at  once  the  most  aristocratic  and  the  easiest  way  of  gaining 
a livelihood.  It  is  but  recently  that  gentlemen  have  begun 
to  engage  in  mercantile  pursuits. 

It  seems  to  me,  that,  though  the  character  and  habits 
of  the  Brazilians  are  not  those  of  an  agricultural  people, 
Brazil  is  an  essentially  agricultural  country,  and  some 
occurrences  in  her  recent  history  confirm  this  view.  Bra- 
zil had  formerly  a great  variety  of  agricultural  products, 
but  now  the  number  of  plants  under  culture  is  rather 
limited.  Agricultural  operations  are  at  present  centred 
upon  coffee,  cotton,  sugar,  tobacco,  mandioca,  some  cereals, 
beans,  and  cocoa.  Owing  to  her  climate  and  her  geographi- 
cal position,  the  vegetable  zones  of  Brazil  are  not  so  marked 
as  those  of  other  countries.  It  would  not  be  difficult  to 
divide  the  whole  Empire,  with  reference  to  its  productions, 
into  three  great  regions.  The  first  of  these,  stretching  from 
the  borders  of  Guiana  to  Bahia,  along  the  great  rivers,  is 
more  especially  characterized  by  the  wild  products  of  the 
forest : Indian-rubber,  cocoa,  vanilla,  sarsaparilla,  and  an 


GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS  OF  BRAZIL. 


505 


Infinite  variety  of  gums,  resins,  barks,  and  textile  fibres  still 
unknown  to  commerce  in  Europe  and  the  United  States. 
To  these  Brazil  might  add  spices,  the  monopoly  of  which 
belongs  now  to  the  Sunda  Islands.  The  second  region, 
extending  from  Bahia  to  Santa  Catarina,  is  that  of 
coffee.  The  third,  from  Santa  Catarina  to  Bio  Grande, 
and  in  the  interior  of  the  high  plateaux,  is  that  of  the 
grains  ; and,  in  connection  with  their  culture,  the  raising 
of  cattle.  Bice,  which  is  easily  grown  throughout  Brazil, 
and  cotton,  which  yields  magnificent  crops  in  all  the 
provinces,  bind  together  these  three  zones,  sugar  and  to- 
bacco following  in  their  train.  An  important  step  with 
reference  to  agriculture,  which  has  scarcely  been  thought 
of  as  yet,  is  the  cultivation  of  the  heights  of  the  Organ 
Mountains,  as  well  as  those  of  the  Serra  do  Mar  and  the 
Serra  do  Mantiqueira.  On  these  high  lands  might  be 
raised  all  the  products  characteristic  of  the  warmer  por- 
tions of  the  temperate  zones,  and  Bio  de  Janeiro  would 
receive  daily  from  the  mountains  in  her  immediate  neigh- 
borhood all  those  vegetables  and  garden  fruits  which  she 
now  procures  in  sipall  quantities  and  at  high  prices  from 
the  provinces  bordering  on  the  La  Plata.  The  slopes  of 
these  Serras  might  also  be  covered  with  plantations  of  cas- 
carilla,  and,  as  the  production  of  quinine  must  sooner  or 
later  be  greatly  diminished  by  the  devastation  of  the  Cin- 
chona-trees on  the  upper  Amazonian  tributaries,  it  is  the 
more  important  that  their  culture  should  be  introduced 
upon  the  largest  scale  on  the  heights  above  Bio.  The 
attempts  of  Mr.  Glaziou  in  that  direction  deserve  every 
encouragement. 

The  sugar-cane  has  long  been  the  chief  object  of  cul- 
tivation in  Brazil,  and  the  production  of  sugar  is  still 


22 


506 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


considerable ; but  within  several  years  the  planting  of 
sugar-cane  has  given  way  in  many  districts  to  that  of  coffee. 
I have  taken  pains  to  ascertain  the  facts  respecting  the  cul 
ture  of  coffee  during  the  last  fifty  years ; the  immense 
development  of  this  branch  of  industry  and  the  rapidity 
of  the  movement,  especially  in  a country  where  labor 
is  so  scarce,  is  among  the  most  striking  economical  phe- 
nomena of  our  century.  Thanks  to  their  perseverance 
and  to  the  favorable  conditions  presented  by  the  constitu- 
tion of  their  soil,  the  Brazilians  have  obtained  a sort  of 
monopoly  of  coffee.  More  than  half  the  coffee  consumed 
in  the  world  is  of  Brazilian  growth.  And  yet  the  coffee  of 
Brazil  has  little  reputation,  and  is  even  greatly  underrated. 
Why  is  this  ? Simply  because  a great  deal  of  the  best  pro- 
duce of  Brazilian  plantations  is  sold  under  the  name  of  Java 
or  Mocha,  or  as  the  coffee  of  Martinique' or  Bourbon.  Mar- 
tinique produces  only  sis  hundred  sacks  of  coffee  annually ; 
Guadaloupe,  whose  coffee  is  sold  under  the  name  of  the 
neighboring  island,  yields  six  thousand  sacks,  not  enough  to 
provide  the  market  of  Bio  de  Janeiro  for  twenty-four  hours, 
and  the  island  of  Bourbon  hardly  more.  A great  part  of 
the  coffee  which  is  bought  under  these  names,  or  under  that 
of  Java  coffee,  is  Brazilian,  while  the  so-called  Mocha  coffee 
is  often  nothing  but  the  small  round  beans  of  the  Brazilian 
plant  found  at  the  summits  of  the  branches  and  very  care- 
fully selected.  If  the  fazendeiros,  like  the  Java  planters, 
sold  their  crops  under  a special  mark,  the  great  purchasers 
would  learn  with  what  merchandise  they  have  to  deal,  and 
the  agriculture  of  Brazil  would  be  greatly  benefited.  But 
there  intervenes  between  the  fazendeiro  and  the  exporter  a 
class  of  merchants  — half  bankers,  half  brokers  — known  as 
commissar ios,  who,  by  mixing  different  harvests,  lower  the 


GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS  OF  BRAZIL. 


507 


stati  lard  of  the  crop,  thus  relieving  the  producer  of  all 
responsibility  and  depriving  the  product  of  its  true  charac- 
teristics. 

If  the  provinces  adjacent  to  Rio  de  Janeiro  offer  natural- 
ly the  most  favorable  soil  for  the  culture  of  coffee,  it  must 
not  be  forgotten  that  coffee 'is  planted  with  advantage  in 
the  shade  of  the  Amazonian  forest,  and  even  yields  two 
annual  crops  wherever  pains  are  taken  to  plant  it.  In  the 
province  of  Ceara,  where  the  coffee  is  of  a superior  quality, 
it  is  not  planted  on  the  plains,  or  in  the  low  grounds,  or  in 
the  shadow  of  the  forest,  as  in  the  valley  of  the  Amazons, 
but  on  the  slopes  of  the  hills  and  on  the  mountain  heights, 
to  an  elevation  of  from  fifteen  hundred  to  two  thousand 
feet  and  more  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  in  the  Serras  of 
Aratanha  and  Baturit^  and  in  the  Sierra  Grande.  The 
channels  opened  to  these  products  should  augment  their 
importance,  and  should  give  rise  to  numerous  establish- 
ments in  the  valley  of  the  Amazons. 

The  increased  exportation  of  cotton  from  Brazil  during 
the  last  few  years  is  a still  more  marked  feature  in  its  indus- 
trial history  than  the  large  coffee  crops.  When,  towards  the  . 
close  of  the  last  century,  cotton  began  to  assume  in  England 
an  importance  which  has  ever  since  been  increasing,  Brazil 
naturally  became  one  of  the  great  providers  of  the  English 
market.  But  it  soon  lost  this  advantage,  because  our 
Southern  States  acquired,  with  an  extraordinary  rapidity, 
an  almost  complete  monopoly  of  this  product.  Favored  by 
exceptional  circumstances,  North  America  succeeded,  about 
the  year  1846,  in  furnishing  cotton  at  such  low  rates  that 
all  competition  became  impossible,  and  the  culture  of  cotton 
was  almost  abandoned  in  other  countries.  Brazil,  how- 
ever, persisted.  Her  annual  production  showed  a slow  but 


508 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


steady  progress ; even  the  cessation  of  the  slave-trade  did 
not  interrupt  this  advance.  Indeed,  it  is  a striking  fact, 
which  may  well  be  mentioned  in  this  connection,  that  the 
statistics  of  Brazilian  agriculture  have  been  steadily  rising 
ever  since  the  abolition  of  the  slave-trade.  When  the 
Rebellion  broke  out  in  our  Southern  States,  Brazil  thus 
found  herself  prepared  to  give  a considerable  impulse  to 
the  cultivation  of  a product  as  much  sought  for  as  bread 
in  time  of  famine.  Spite  of  the  want  of  population,  which 
is  an  obstacle  to  all  industrial  enterprises  in  Brazil,  she 
found  labor,  and,  what  was  still  more  important,  free  labor, 
for  this  object.  It  seemed  as  if  it  were  a point  of  national 
honor  to  show  what  could  be  done.  Provinces  like  San 
Paolo,  where  a foot  of  ground  had  never  before  been 
planted  with  cotton ; others,  as  for  instance  Alagoas, 
Parahyba  do  Norte,  Ceara,  where  the  cultivation  of  cotton 
had  been  abandoned,  produced  extraordinary  quantities, — 
so  large,  indeed,  that  two  lines  of  steamers  were  estab- 
lished, and  have  prospered,  between  Liverpool  and  the 
above-mentioned  ports,  chiefly  for  the  transport  of  this 
crop.  It  will  be  remembered  that  during  the  whole  of 
this  time  Brazil  was  in  want  of  laborers,  that  she  received 
no  foreign  capital  for  this  undertaking,  that  she  imported 
neither  Coolies  nor  Chinese,  that  almost  immediately  after 
the  movement  began  her  war  with  Paraguay  broke  out, 
and  yet  her  production  of  cotton  has  quadrupled  and 
quintupled.  This  fact  assumed  such  importance  in  the 
estimate  of  industrial  interests  at  the  late  Paris  Exposition, 
that  an  exceptional  prize  was  awarded  to  Brazil,  on  the 
ground  that,  in  supplying  the  European  market  so  largely 
with  this  indispensable  staple,  she  had  rendered  it  inde- 
pendent of  the  former  monopoly  of  the  United  States.  It 


GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS  OF  BRAZIL. 


509 


is  true  that  the  same  prize  was  also  granted  to  Algeria 
and  to  Egypt.  But  the  Brazilian  planter  had  not,  like  the 
colonists  of  Africa,  the  stimulus  of  a large  subsidy  from 
government ; he  could  not,  like  the  Viceroy  of  Egypt,  seize 
80,000  men  in  a single  district  and  transport  them  to  his 
plantations ; neither  did  he,  like  the  Egyptian  fellah,  aban- 
don all  other  branches  of  agriculture  in  order  to  devote 
himself  exclusively  to  that  of  cotton.  In  fact,  the  general 
interests  of  agriculture  prospered  in  Brazil,  in  the  midst 
of  this  new  enterprise. 

I have  insisted  on  these  facts,  which  I think  are  little 
known,  because  they  seem  to  me  to  show  a greater  energy 
and  vitality  than  is  usually  supposed  to  exist  in  the  pro- 
ductive forces  of  Brazil.  To  stimulate  this  movement, 
the  government  has  recently  taken  the  initiatory  steps  in 
the  organization  of  an  Agricultural  School  in  the  vicinity 
of  Bahia,  in  which  all  the  modern  improvements  suggest- 
ed by  the  progress  of  science  and  invention,  are  to  be 
tested  in  their  application  to  the  natural  products  of  the 
tropics. 

The  importance  of  the  basin  of  the  Amazons  to  Brazil, 
from  an  industrial  point  of  view,  can  hardly  be  over- 
estimated. Its  woods  alone  have  an  almost  priceless  value. 
Nowhere  in  the  world  is  there  finer  timber,  either  for  solid 
construction  or  for  works  of  ornament ; and  yet  it  is  scarce- 
ly used  even  for  the  local  buildings,  and  makes  no  part 
whatever  of  the  exports.  It  is  strange  that  the  development 
of  this  branch  of  industry  should  not  even  have  begun  in 
Brazil,  for  the  rivers  which  flow  past  these  magnificent 
forests  seem  meant  to  serve,  first  as  a water-power  for 
the  saw-mills  which  ought  to  be  established  along  their 
borders,  and  then  as  a means  of  transportation  for  the 


510 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


material  so  provided.  Setting  aside  the  woods  as  timber) 
what  shall  I say  of  the  mass  of  fruits,  resins,  oils,  coloring 
matters,  textile  fibres,  which  they  yield  ? When  I stopped 
at  Pard,  on  my  way  home  to  the  United  States,  an  exhibi- 
tion of  Amazonian  products,  brought  together  in  prepara- 
tion for  the  World’s  Fair  at  Paris,  was  still  open.  Much 
as  I had  admired,  during  my  journey,  the  richness  and 
variety  of  the  materials  native  to  the  soil,  I was  amazed 
when  I saw  them  thus  side  by  side.  There  I noticed, 
among  others,  a collection  of  no  less  than  one  hundred  and 
seventeen  different  kinds  of  highly  valuable  woods,  cut 
from  a piece  of  land  less  than  half  a mile  square.  Of 
these  many  were  dark-colored,  veined  woods  susceptible 
of  a high  polish,  — as  beautiful  as  rosewood  or  ebony. 
There  was  a great  variety  of  vegetable  oils,  all  remarka- 
ble for  their  clearness  and  purity.  There  were  a number 
of  fabrics  made  from  the  fibres  of  the  palm,  and  an  end- 
less variety  of  fruits.  An  empire  might  esteem  itself  ricli 
in  any  one  of  the  sources  of  industry  which  abound  in 
this  valley,  and  yet  the  greater  part  of  its  vast  growth 
rots  on  the  ground,  and  goes  to  form  a little  more  river- 
mud  or  to  stain  the  waters  on  the  shores  of  which  its 
manifbld  products  die  and  decompose.  But  what  sur- 
prised me  most  was  to  find  that  a great  part  of  this 
region  was  favorable  to  the  raising  of  cattle.  Fine  sheep 
are  fed  on  the  grassy  plains  and  on  the  hills  which  stretch 
between  Obydos  and  Almeyrim,  and  I have  rarely  eaten 
better  mutton  than  at  Erer6,  in  the  midst  of  these  serras. 
And  yet  the  inhabitants  of  this  fertile  region  suffer  from 
hunger.  The  insufficiency  of  food  is  evident ; but  it 
arises  solely  from  the  inability  of  the  people  to  avail 
themselves  of  the  natural  productions  of  the  soil.  An 


GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS  OF  BRAZIL. 


511 


an  instance  of  this,  I may  mention  that,  though  living  on 
the  banks  of  rivers  which  abound  in  delicious  fish,  they 
make  large  use  of  salt  cod,  imported  from  other  countries  ! 

While  travelling  upon  the  Amazons,  I have  often  asked 
myself  what  would  be  the  best  plan  for  developing  the 
natural  resources  of  that  incomparable  region.  No  doubt 
the  opening  of  the  great  river  to  the  commerce  of  all 
nations  was  a first  step  in  the  right  direction  ; and  this 
measure  in  itself  shows  what  extraordinary  progress  Bra- 
zil is  making,  for  it  is  hardly  more  than  half  a century, 
since,  owing  to  the  narrow  policy  and  jealous  disposition 
of  the  Portuguese  government,  the  greatest  traveller  of 
modern  times  was  forbidden  to  enter  the  valley  of  the 
Amazons  ; while  to-day  a scientific  errand  of  a similar 
character  is  welcomed  and  fostered  in  every  possible  way 
by  the  government  of  a nation  now  independent  of  Eu- 
rope. But  a free  competition  is  a necessary  complement 
to  the  freedom  already  granted,  and  competition  is  scarcely 
possible  where  monopolies  are  kept  up.  I hold,  therefore, 
that  all  the  exceptional  facilities  granted  by  the  Brazilian 
government  to  private  companies  are  detrimental  to  its 
best  interests.  There  is,  however,  another  direct  obstacle 
to  progress  which  ought  at  once  to  be  removed,  since  the 
change  could  in  no  way  injure  the  general  welfare.  The 
present  limitation  of  the  provinces  of  Par&  and  of  the  Ama- 
zons is  entirely  unnatural.  The  whole  valley  is  cut  in  two 
transversely,  so  that  its  lower  half  is  of  necessity  a bar 
to  the  independent  growth  of  the  upper  half.  Pard,  being 
made  the  centre  of  everything,  drains  the  whole  country 
without  vitalizing  the  interior.  The  great  river  which 
should  be  an  international  highway  has  become  an  inland 
stream.  But  suppose  for  a moment  that  the  Amazons, 


612  A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 

like  our  Mississippi,  were  made  the  boundary  between  a 
succession  of  independent  provinces  on  either  side  of  it ; 
suppose  that  on  the  southern  banks  of  the  Amazons  the 
province  of  Teffe  should  extend  from  the  borders  of  Peru 
to  the  banks  of  the  Madeira,  the  province  of  Santarem  from 
the  Madeira  to  the  Xingu,  and  that  of  Par&  be  reduced 
to  the  country  east  of  the  Xingu,  including  the  Island  of 
Marajo  ; each  of  these  separate  provinces  would  then  be 
at  once  bounded  and  traversed  by  great  streams,  securing 
the  double  activity  of  competition  and  the  stimulus  of  in- 
ternal conveniences.  In  like  manner  should  the  lands  on 
the  northern  banks  of  the  Amazons  form  several  indepen- 
dent provinces  ; that  of  Monte  Alegre,  for  instance,  ex- 
tending from  the  Rio  Trombetas  to  the  sea ; that  of  Ma- 
naos,  from  the  Rio  Trombetas  to  the  Rio  Negro  ; and  per- 
haps that  of  the  Hyapura,  enclosing  the  present  wilder- 
ness between  the  Rio  Negro  and  the  Solimoens.  It  will,  no  ■ 
doubt,  be  objected  that  such  a change  would  involve  an 
administrative  staff  quite  disproportionate  to  the  present 
population  ; but  the  government  of  such  provinces,  even 
with  the  few  inhabitants  they  might  number,  if  organized 
upon  the  plan  of  the  territorial  governments  of  our  infant 
States,  would  only  stimulate  local  energies,  and  develop 
local  resources,  without  interfering  in  the  least  with  the 
central  government.  Moreover,  any  one  familiar  with  the 
working  of  the  present  system  in  the  valley  of  the  Amazons 
must  be  aware  that  all  the  cities  started  during  the  past 
century  along  the  great  river  and  its  tributaries,  far  from 
progressing,  are  going  to  ruin  and  decay ; and  this  is  un- 
questionably owing  to  the  centralization  at  Par&  of  all  the 
real  activity  of  the  whole  country. 

Without  a much  denser  population,  the  best  efforts  of 


GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS  OF  BRAZIL. 


513 


Brazil  to  increase  its  prosperity  must  be  slow  and  ineffec- 
tive. No  wonder,  then,  that,  immediately  after  the  decla- 
ration of  independence,  Dom  Pedro  I.  attempted  to  attract 
German  emigrants  to  his  new  empire.  From  that  period 
dates  the  Colony  of  San  Leopoldo,  near  Porto  Alegre,  on  the 
Rio  Grande  do  Sul.  It  was  not,  however,  till  the  year 
1850,  when  the  slave-trade  was  actually  abolished,  and  it 
was  no  longer  possible  to  import  labor  from  Africa,  that 
these  colonization  schemes  assumed  a more  definite  and 
settled  character.  In  this  attempt  the  planters  and  the 
government  were  agreed,  but  with  a different  object.  The 
plan  of  the  government,  undertaken  in  perfect  good  faith, 
was  to  create  a laboring  population,  and  a class  of  small 
landed  proprietors.  The  planters,  on  the  contrary,  ac- 
customed to  compulsory  labor,  thought  only  of  recruiting 
their  slave  ranks  by  substituting  Europeans  for  Africans. 
This  led  to  terrible  abuses;  under  pretence  of  advancing 
their  passage-money,  poor  emigrants,  and  especially  the 
ignorant  Portuguese  from  the  Azores,  were  virtually  sold 
under  a contract  which  they  subsequently  found  it  very 
difficult  to  break.,  These  abuses  have  thrown  discredit 
upon  the  attempts  of  the  Brazilian  government  to  colonize 
the  interior,  but  the  iniquities  practised  under  the  name 
of  emigration  are  now  corrected.  In  fact,  the  colonies 
established  directly  by  the  government,  on  public  lands, 
have  never  suffered  wrong ; on  the  contrary,  the  German 
settlements  iji  Sta  Catherina,  on  the  Rio  Grande  do  Sul 
and  on  the  San  Francisco  do  Sul  are  very  prosperous. 
The  best  evidence  of  the  improvement  in  the  condition 
of  the  colonists,  and  of  the  more  liberal  spirit  of  the  na- 
tion towards  them,  is  the  spontaneous  formation  in  Rio 
de  Janeiro  of  an  international  society  of  emigration  inde- 

22*  GG 


514 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


pendent  of  all  government  influence,  consisting  of  Bra- 
zilians, Portuguese,  Germans,  Swiss,  Americans,  French,  &c. 
The  objects  of  this  society,  of  which  Mr.  Tavares  Bastos  is 
one  of  the  most  influential  members,  are,  first,  to  reform 
the  constitution  in  all  which  may  place  the  foreigner  at  a 
disadvantage  ; second,  to  redress  the  wrongs  of  the  emi- 
grants ; third,  to  provide  them  with  such  assistance  and 
information  as  they  may  need  on  arriving.  This  society 
has  been  in  existence  only  two  years,  but  has  already 
rendered  valuable  services.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 
government  will  persevere  in  the  liberal  course  it  has 
entered  upon,  and,  above  all,  put  an  end  to  the  unnecessary 
legal  formalities  by  which  the  emigrant  is  prevented  from 
taking  immediate  possession  of  his  new  home.  This  is 
especially  important  in  the  region  of  the  Amazons,  where 
the  new-comer  finds  none  of  those  facilities  which  welcome 
the  emigrant  in  the  United  States.  I cannot  too  often 
repeat,  also,  that  all  monopoly  of  transport  in  the  Amazons 
should  speedily  be  abolished.  As  soon  as  the  wild  prod- 
ucts of  its  shores  are  subjected  to  a regular  culture,  even 
of  a very  imperfect  kind,  and  are  no  longer  gathered  at 
random,  — as  soon  as  organized  labor,  directed  by  an  in- 
telligent activity,  takes  the  place  of  the  thoughtless  and 
uncertain  efforts  of  the  Indians,  the  variety  and  excellence 
of  its  staples  will  be  increased  beyond  all  expectation.  As 
it  is,  a little  foresight  would  prevent  an  immense  deal  of 
suffering  in  this  fertile  region,  where  food  abounds  and 
people  die  of  hunger.  Accustomed  to  live  upon  fish,  the 
natives  make  little  use  either  of  milk  or  meat,  and  the  fine 
pasturage  which  might  maintain  herds  of  cattle  is  allowed 
to  run  to  waste.  Careless  of  the  inclemency  of  the  weather 
when  gathering  the  harvest  of  the  forest,  they  scarcely 


GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS  OF  BRAZIL. 


515 


build  a shelter  against  the  heavy  rains,  allow  their  wet 
clothes  to  dry  upon  their  skin,  and  expose  themselves  to 
constant  alternations  of  heat  and  cold.  Add  to  this,  that 
they  do  not  hesitate  to  drink  stagnant  water,  if  it  be  nearer 
at  hand  than  spring  water,  and  we  have  causes  enough 
for  the  prevalence  of  intermittent  fever  and  malarious 
diseases,  without  attributing  them  to  a climate  which  is 
in  the  main  salubrious,  and  far  more  moderate  in  tem- 
perature than  is  generally  supposed.  The  false  notions 
generally  current,  even  in  Brazil,  in  regard  to  the  climate 
of  the  Amazons  might  have  been  removed  long  ago,  were 
the  public  officers  of  the  northern  provinces  of  the  Empire 
not  interested  in  keeping  up  the  delusion.  The  Ama- 
zonian provinces  are  made  stepping-stones  to  higher  em- 
ployments. The  young  candidates  who  accept  these  posts 
claim  a reward  for  the  disinterestedness  they  have  shown 
in  exposing  themselves  to  disease,  and  make  the  reputed 
fatality  of  the  climate  an  excuse  for  leaving  these  remote 
stations  after  a few  months’  sojourn.  The  northern  prov- 
inces of  Brazil  need  an  administration  less  liable  to  change, 
and  based  upon  patient  study  of  their  local  interests,  and 
a faithful  adherence  to  them.  It  is  impossible  that  the 
president  who  comes  for  six  months,  and  is  daily  longing 
for  his  return  to  the  society  and  amusements  of  the  larger 
cities,  should  even  initiate,  far  less  complete,  any  systematic 
improvements.  Like  every  country  struggling  for  recogni- 
tion among  the  self-reliant  nations  of  the  world,  Brazil  has 
to  contend  with  the  prejudiced  reports  of  a floating  foreign 
population,  indifferent  to  the  welfare  of  the  land  they  tem- 
porarily inhabit,  and  whose  appreciations  aie  mainly  in- 
fluenced by  private  interest.  It  is  much  to  be  regretted 
that  the  government  has  not  thought  it  worth  while,  to 


♦516 


A JOURNEY  IN  BRAZIL. 


take  decided  measures  to  correct  the  erroneous  impressions 
current  abroad  concerning  its  administration,  and  that  its 
diplomatic  agents  do  so  little  to  circulate  truthful  and 
.authoritative  statements  of  their  domestic  concerns.  As 
far  as  I know,  the  recent  World’s  Fair  at  Paris  was  the 
first  occasion  when  an  attempt  was  made  to  present  a com- 
prehensive report  of  the  resources  of  the  Empire,  and  the 
prizes  awarded  to  the  Brazilians  testify  to  their  success. 

Imperfect  as  is  this  sketch,  I trust  I have  been  able  to 
show,  what  I deeply  feel,  that  there  are  elements  of  a high 
progress  in  Brazil,  that  it  has  institutions  which  are  shaping 
the  country  to  worthy  ends,  that  it  has  a nationality  already 
active,  showing  its  power  at  the  present  moment  in  carrying 
on  one  of  the  most  important  wars  ever  undertaken  in  South 
America.  Neither  is  this  struggle  maintained  by  Brazil  for 
selfish  ends  ; in  her  conflict  with  Paraguay  she  may  truly  be 
counted  among  the  standard-bearers  of  civilization.  The 
facts  which  have  come  to  my  knowledge  respecting  this  war 
have  convinced  me  that  it  originated  in  honorable  purposes, 
and,  setting  aside  the- selfish  intrigues  of  individuals,  inevit- 
ably connected  with  such  movements,  is  carried  on  with  dis- 
interestedness. It  deserves  the  sympathy  of  the  civilized 
world,  for  it  strikes  at  a tyrannical  organization,  half  cleri- 
cal, half  military,  which,  calling  itself  a republic,  disgraces 
the  name  it  assumes. 

Will  my  Brazilian  friends  who  read  this  summary  say 
that  I have  given  but  grudging  praise  to  their  public  insti- 
tutions, accompanied  by  an  unkind  criticism  of  their  social 
condition  ? I hope  not.  I should  do  myself  great  wrong 
did  I give  the  impression  that  I part  from  Brazil  with  any 
feeling  but  that  of  warm  sympathy,  a deep-rooted  belief  m 


GENERAL  IMPRESSIONS  OF  BRAZIL. 


517 


her  future  progress  and  prosperity,  and  sincere  personal 
gratitude  toward  her.  I recognize  in  the  Brazilians  as  a 
nation  their  susceptibility  to  lofty  impulses  and  emotions, 
their  love  of  theoretical  liberty,  their  natural  generosity, 
their  aptness  to  learn,  their  ready  eloquence ; if  also  I miss 
among  them  something  of  the  stronger  and  more  persistent 
qualities  of  the  Northern  races,  I do  but  recall  a distinction 
which  is  as  ancient  as  the  tropical  and  temperate  zones 
themselves. 


APPENDIX 


I.  — THE  GULF  STREAM. 

As  the  results  of  the  systematic  investigation  of  the  Gulf  Stream 
upon  a plan  laid  out  by  Dr.  A.  D.  Bache,  and  executed,  under  his 
direction,  by  his  most  able  assistants,  have  hardly  yet  been  presented 
in  a popular  form,  a sketch  of  the  whole  may  not  be  out  of  place 
here.  This  investigation  embraced  not  only  surface-phenomena, 
but  the  whole  internal  structure  and  movement  of  this  wonderful 
current.  It  is  well  known  that  the  Gulf  Stream  has  its  origin  in 
the  equatorial  current  which,  starting  from  the  Gulf  of  Guinea, 
flows  for  a time  in  a westerly  direction,  till  it  approaches  Cape  St. 
Roque.  This  great  projection  of  the  eastern  coast  of  South  Amer- 
tea  interrupts  its  onward  progress,  and  causes  it  to  divide  into  two 
branches,  one  of  which  follows  the  coast  of  Brazil,  in  a southerly 
direction,  while  the  other  continues  its  course  to  the  northwest, 
until  it  reaches  the  Caribbean  Sea.  After  pouring  into  that  basin, 
the  great  stream  turns  to  the  east  to  enter  the  Atlantic  again  off* 
Cape  Florida.  The  high  temperature  of  the  equatorial  current  is 
owing  to  its  origin  in  trhe  tropical  zone,  its  westward  course  being 
determined  by  the  rotation  of  the  earth  and  by  the  trade-winds. 
On  issuing  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  the  stream  is  encased  between 
the  island  of  Cuba  and  the  Bahamas  on  one  side  and  the  coast  of 
Florida  on  the  other.  Here  it  meets  the  Atlantic  in  a latitude,  where 
the  ocean-waters  have  no  longer  the  high  temperature  of  the  tropics, 
whereas  the  stream  itself  has  acquired  an  increased  warmth  on 
the  shoals  of  the  Gulf.  This  accounts  for  the  great  difference  of 
temperature  between  the  waters  of  the  stream  and  1'  .ose  of  the 


520 


APPENDIX. 


ocean  to  the  east  of  it ; while  the  still  greater  cold  of  the  sea-water 
on  its  western  side,  between  the  Gulf  Stream  and  the  continental 
shore,  is  explained  by  the  great  Arctic  current,  pouring  down  from 
Baffin’s  Bay,  and  skirting  the  shore  of  North  America  as  far  as  the 
Coast  of  Florida,  until  it  is  lost  in  that  latitude  under  the  Gulf 
Stream.  The  object  of  Dr.  Bache’s  investigation  was  to  trace  the 
mutual  relations  of  these  two  great  currents  of  warm  and  cold 
water,  flowing  side  by  side  in  opposite  directions,  and  to  discover 
the  conditions  which  regulate  their  movements  and  keep  them 
within  definite  limits. 

The  investigation  is  even  now  by  no  means  complete,  though  it  has 
been  going  on  for  many  years.  It  has,  however,  been  ascertained 
that,  while  the  ocean-bed  deepens  more  or  less  rapidly  as  we  recede 
from  the  shore,  forming  a trough  in  which  the  Gulf  Stream  flows, 
this  trough  is  limited  on  its  eastern  side  by  a range  of  hills  trend- 
ing in  the  direction  of  the  current,  outside  of  which  is  another  de- 
pression or  valley.  Indeed,  the  sea-bottom  exhibits  parallel  ridges 
and  depressions,  running  like  the  shore  of  the  continent  itself,  in  a 
northeasterly  direction.  The  water  presents  differences  of  tem- 
perature, not  only  on  the  surface,  but  at  various  depths  below. 
These  inequalities  have  been  determined  by  a succession  of 
thermometric  observations  along  several  lines,  crossing  the  Gulf 
Stream  from  the  shore  to  the  ocean  water  on  its  eastern  side,  at 
intervals  of  about  a hundred  miles.  The  observations  have  been 
made  first  at  the  surface,  and  then  at  successively  greater  depths, 
varying  from  ten  to  twenty,  thirty,  one  hundred,  two  hundred,  and 
even  three  and  four  hundred  fathoms.  This  survey  has  shown 
that,  while  the  Gulf  Stream  has  a temperature  higher  than  that 
of  the  waters  on  either  side,  it  is  also  alternately  warmer  and 
colder  within  itself,  being  made  up  as  it  were  of  distinct  streaks 
of  water  of  different  temperature.  These  alternations  continue  to 
as  great  a depth  as  the  observations  have  been  carried,  and  are 
found  to  extend  even  to  the  very  bottom  of  the  sea,  where  this  has 
been  reached  The  most  surprising  part  of  this  result  is  the 


APPENDIX. 


521 


abruptness  of  the  change  along  the  line  where  the  two  great  cur- 
rents touch  each  other.  So  sharp  is  this  division  that  the  boundary 
of  the  Arctic  current  is  now  technically  designated  as  the  “ Cold 
wall”  of  the  Gulf  Stream.  Of  course  as  the  latter  flows  north- 
ward and  eastward  it  gradually  widens,  and  its  temperature  is 
lowered ; but  even  as  far  north  as  Sandy  Hook  the  difference 
between  its  temperature  at  the  surface  and  that  of  the  surround- 
ing waters  is  still  marked. 

Off  Cape  Florida  the  width  of  the  Gulf  Stream  is  not  over  forty 
miles ; off  Charleston  it  is  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles ; while  at 
Sandy  Hook  it  exceeds  three  hundred  miles. 

The  inequality  of  the  bottom  may  be  appreciated  by  the  sound- 
ings off  Charleston,  where,  from  the  shore  to  a distance  of  two 
hundred  miles,  the  following  depth  was  successively  measured: 
10,  25,  100,  250,  300,  600,  350,  550,  450,  475,  450,  and 
400  fathoms. 

The  following  table  may  give  some  idea  of  the  temperature  of 
the  stream  in  connection  with  its  depth : — 

Off  Sandy  Hook,  at  successive  distances  from  the  coast,  of 

100,  150,  200,  250,  300,  350,  and  400  miles, 

the  temperature  near  the  surface  to  a depth  of  thirty  fathoms 
averages : 

65°,  66°,  64°,  81°,  80°,  and  75°  Fahr.; 

at  a depth  of  between  forty  and  a hundred  fathoms  it  averages : 
50°,  52°,  50°,  47°,  72°,  68°,  and  65°  Fahr.  ; 

at  a depth  below  three  hundred  fathoms  it  averages : 

37°,  39°,  40°,  37°,  55°,  57°,  and  55°  Fahr. 

The  rapid  rise  of  the  temperature  after  the  fourth  column  of  fig- 
ures indicates  the  position  of  the  Cold  wall. 

For  further  details  see  the  United  States  Coast  Survey  Report 
for  1860,  page  165,  and  the  accompanying  maps,  — which  should 
be  copied  into  all  our  school  atlases. 


522 


APPENDIX. 


II.—  FLYING-FISHES. 

The  motions  of  animals  vary  greatly  with  reference  to  the 
medium  in  which  they  live.  Our  present  knowledge  renders  it, 
however,  necessary  that  we  should  weigh  these  differences  with 
reference  to  the  structural  character  of  the  organs  of  locomotion 
themselves,  as  well  as  to  that  of  the  peculiar  resistance  of  the 
element  in  which  they  move.  When  we  speak  of  the  flight  of 
Birds,  of  Insects,  of  Fishes,  of  Bats,  &c.,  and  designate  their 
locomotive  organs  indiscriminately  as  wings,  it  is  evident  that  the 
character  of  the  motion  and  not  the  special  structure  of  the  organs 
has  determined  our  nomenclature.  We  are  influenced  by  the  same 
consideration  when  we  give  the  name  of  fins  to  the  organs  of  all 
animals  which  swim  in  the  water,  be  they  Whales,  Turtles,  Fishes, 
Crustacea,  or  Mollusks.  It  requires  but  a superficial  acquaintance 
with  the  anatomy  of  the  flying-fishes  to  perceive  that  their  organs 
of  flight  are  built  upon  exactly  the  same  pattern  as  the  pectoral 
fins  of  most  fishes,  and  differ  entirely  from  the  wing  of  birds,  as 
also  from  the  wing  of  bats,  the  latter  being  in  all  essentials  a paw, 
identical  with  the  paw  of  ordinary  quadrupeds,  save  the  length  of 
the  fingers  and  the  absence  of  nails  on  the  longest  of  them.  No 
wonder,  then,  that  the  flight  of  the  flying-fishes  should  entirely 
differ  from  that  of'  birds  or  bats. 

I have  had  frequent  occasions  to  observe  the  flying-fishes  atten- 
tively. I am  confident  not  only  that  they  change  the  direction 
of  their  flight,  but  that  they  raise  or  lower  their  line  of  move- 
ment repeatedly,  without  returning  to  the  water.  I avoid  the  word 
falling  designedly,  for  all  the  acts  of  these  fishes  during  their 
flight  seem  to  me  completely  voluntary.  They  raise  themselves 
from  the  surface  of  the  water  by  rapidly  repeated  blows  with  the 
tail,  and  more  than  once  have  I seen  them  descend  again  to  the 


APPENDIX. 


523 


surface  of  the  water  in  order  to  repeat  this  movement ; thus  renew- 
ing the  impulse  and  enabling  themselves  to  continue  for  a longer 
time  their  passage  through  the  air.  Their  changes  of  direction, 
either  to  the  right  and  left  or  in  rising  and  descending,  are  not  due 
to  the  beating  of  the  wings,  that  is  to  say,  of  the  great  pectoral  fins, 
but  simply  to  an  inflexion  of  the  whole  surface,  in  one  or  the  other 
direction,  by  the  contraction  of  the  muscles  controlling  the  action 
of  the  fin-rays,  their  pressure  against  the  air  determining  the  move- 
ment. The  flying-fish  is  in  fact  a living  shuttlecock,  capable  of 
directing  its  own  course  by  the  bending  of  its  large  fins.  It  probably 
maintains  itself  in  the  air  until  the  necessity  of  breathing  compels 
it  to  return  to  the  water.  The  motive  of  its  flight  seems  to  me  to 
be  fear ; for  it  is  always  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  and  in  front 
of  the  vessel  that  they  are  seen  to  rise ; or  perhaps  at  a distance 
when  they  are  pursued  by  some  large  fish.  Now  that  I have  studied 
their  movements,  I am  better  able  to  appreciate  the  peculiarities  of 
their  structure,  especially  the  inequality  of  the  caudal  fin.  It  is  per- 
fectly clear  that  the  greater  length  of  the  lower  lobe  of  the  caudal 
is  intended  to  facilitate  the  movements  by  which  the  whole  body  is 
thrown  out  of  water  and  carried  through  the  air ; while  the  ampli- 
tude of  the  pectoral  fins  affords  only  a support  during  the  passage 
through  the  lighter  medium.  Nothing  shows  more  plainly  the 
freedom  of  their  movements  than  the  fact  that,  when  the  surface 
of  the  sea  is  swelling  into  billows,  the  flying-fishes  may  hug  its 
inequalities  very  closely  and  do  not  move  in  a regular  curve,  first 
ascending  from  and  then  descending  again  to  the  level  of  the 
water.  Nor  do  they  appear  to  fall  into  their  natural  element,  as 
if  the  power  that  had  impelled  them  was  exhausted ; they  seem 
rather  to  dive  voluntarily  into  the  water,  sometimes  after  a very 
short  and  sometimes  after  a rather  protracted  flight,  during  which 
they  may  change  their  direction,  as  well  as  the  height  at  which 
they  move. 

The  most  common  flying-fishes  of  the  Atlantic  belong  to  the 
genus  Exocetus,  and  are  closely  allied  to  our  Billfish  (Belone). 


524 


APPENDIX. 


J.  Mtiller  has  shown  that  they  differ  greatly  from  the  Herrings, 
with  which  they  were  formerly  associated,  and  should  form  a 
distinct  family,  to  which  he  has  given  the  name  of  Scomberesoces. 
The  other  flying-fishes  belong  to  the  family  of  the  Cottoids,  of 
which  our  common  Sculpins  are  the  chief  representatives. 


APPENDIX. 


525 


III.  — RESOLUTIONS  PASSED  ON  BOARD  THE 
COLORADO. 

Resolved , That  the  cordial  thanks  of  this  meeting  are  due  to 
Professor  Agassiz  for  the  highly  interesting  and  instructive  lec- 
tures which  he  has  delivered  daily  during  our  voyage,  and 
which,  though  intended  more  immediately  to  prepare  his  party 
for  their  proposed  expedition,  have  furnished  to  all  of  us  a rich 
repast. 

Resolved , That  the  Professor  and  his  companions  will  carry 
with  them  to  their  beneficent  work  the  earnest  prayers  and  good 
wishes  of  all  with  whom  they  have  been  associated  on  board 
this  ship,  that  health  and  abundant  success  may  be  vouchsafed  to 
them. 

Resolved , That  in  this  mission  of  science  from  one  country  con- 
vulsed by  war  to  another  not  entirely  at  peace,  we  behold  the 
humanizing  and  pacific  influence  of  its  aims  and  studies,  and  that 
we  cannot  but  look  forward  to  a day  when  nations  engaged  in  the 
common  pursuits  of  science  and  industry,  and  bound  together  by 
commerce  and  by  enlightened  views  of  interest  and  of  Christian 
duty,  will  refer  all  questions  in  dispute  'to  peaceful  arbitrament 
rather  than  to  one  of  violence  and  bloodshed. 

Resolved , That  in  the  facilities  afforded  by  the  government  of 
the  United  States  to  this  scientific  expedition,  in  the  munificent 
contribution  of  a single  citizen  of  Boston  towards  its  expenses,  and 
in  the  generous  manner  in  which  the  owners  of  this  ship  have 
placed  its  unsurpassed  comforts  and  luxuries  at  the  free  use  of 
Professor*  Agassiz  and  his  party,  this  meeting  beholds  a pledge 
of  the  profound  and  growing  interest  of  our  entire  people  in  the 
advancement  of  liberal  and  useful  knowledge. 

Resolved , That  we  cannot  approach  the  capital  of  Brazil  for  the 
purpose  of  leaving  this  party,  without  expressing  our  admiration 


526 


APPENDIX. 


for  the  personal  and  political  character  of  him  who  presides  over 
this  vast  Empire,  and  who  may  well  be  held  forth  to  all  rulers  as 
a model  of  intelligence,  of  virtue,  and  devotion  to  the  public 
weal. 

Resolved,  That  we  cannot  close  this  part  of  our  voyage  without 
tendering  to  Captain  Bradbury,  and  his  subordinate  officers,  our 
special  thanks,  not  only  for  the  masterly  manner  with  which  their 
vessel  is  handled,  but  for  their  unwearied  devotion  to  the  comfort 
of  their  guests. 


APPENDIX. 


527 


IV.  — DOM  PEDRO  SEGUNDO  RAILROAD. 

The  part  taken  by  American  engineers  in  this  great  undertaking 
induces  me  to  give  here  a short  account  of  its  history. 

The  decree  conceding  to  one  or  more  companies  the  entire  or 
partial  construction  of  a railway  which,  commencing  in  the  munici- 
pality of  Rio  de  Janeiro,  should  terminate  in  such  points  in  the 
Provinces  of  Minas  and  St.  Paulo  as  should  be  most  advantageous, 
was  promulgated  in  1852.  A company  was  organized  with  a capi- 
tal of  thirty -eight  thousand  Contos  of  reis,  or  nineteen  millions  of 
dollars ; the  general  plan  being  to  construct  a trunk  line  from  the 
city  of  Rio  de  Janeiro  to  the  River  Parahyba,  a distance  of  about 
67  miles  from  the  coast.  A contract  was  made  with  an  English 
engineer,  Mr.  Edward  Price,  for  the  building  of  the  first  section  of 
this  road,  extending  a distance  of  38£  miles,  from  Rio  de  Janeiro  to 
Belem.  For  the  construction  of  the  second  section,  which  embraced 
the  mountain  barrier  separating  the  valley  of  Parahyba  from  the 
sea-coast,  and  in  which  the  greatest  difficulties  were  therefore  to  be 
encountered,  it  was  proposed  by  Senhor  Cliristiano  B.  Ottoni,  Presi- 
dent of  the  road,  to  employ  American  engineers,  and  if  possible  to 
engage  the  services  of  men  who  had  actually  constructed  railways 
across  mountain  ranges  in  the  United  States.  To  this  effect, 
Colonel  C.  F.  M.  Garnett  was  engaged  as  chief  engineer,  and  came 
to  Brazil  in  1856,  accompanied  by  Major  A.  Ellison,  as  his  principal 
assistant.  Colonel  Garnett  remained  in  the  country  somewhat  more 
than  two  years,  during  which  time  the  portion  of  the  road  known 
as  the  second  section,  and  extending  from  Belem  to  Parahyba,  was 
laid  out  and  its  construction  commenced,  surveys  being  also  made 
of  the  branches  up  and  down  the  river,  constituting  the  third  and 
fourth  sections.  On  Colonel  Garnett’s  departure,  Major  Ellison  re- 
mained as  chief  engineer,  having  his  brother,  Mr.  ¥m.  S.  Ellison, 
associated  with  him  in  the  direction  of  the  road.  In  July,  1865,  at 


528 


APPENDIX. 


which  time  the  road  was  actually  completed  as  far  as  Barro  de 
Pirahy,  the  company  being  unable  to  raise  funds  for  the  contin- 
uation of  the  work,  it  was  assumed  by  the  government,  as  a na- 
tional undertaking,  and  Major  Ellison,  resigning  his  position,  was 
succeeded  by  Mr.  Wm.  S.  Ellison  as  chief  engineer. 

The  difficulties  of  construction  throughout  the  second  section 
were  immense  ; indeed,  there  was  an  almost  universal  distrust  of 
the  practicability  of  the  work.  Even  after  it  was  considerably 
advanced,  it  would  probably  have  been  abandoned  but  for  the  en- 
ergy of  the  President,  who  shared  the  confidence  of  the  engineers, 
and  pushed  forward  the  enterprise  almost  single-handed,  in  spite  of 
the  incredulity  of  its  friends  and  the  objections  of  its  opponents. 
The  sharpness  of  the  mountain  spurs  rendering  it  impossible  in 
many  cases  to  pass  around  them,  tunnels  became  necessary,  and 
fifteen  were  actually  made,  varying  from  300  to  more  than  7,300  feet 
in  length,  forming,  in  the  aggregate,  three  miles  of  subterraneous 
line.  Of  those  tunnels,  three  pass  through  rock  decomposed  to  such 
a degree  that  lining  throughout  was  necessary,  while  the  rest  are 
pierced,  for  the  greater  part,  through  solid  rock,  though  requiring 
the  same  precaution  occasionally.  The  total  length  of  lining  with 
masonry  is  5,700  feet.  In  the  course  of  this  operation  constant 
danger  and  difficulty  arose  from  the  breaking  in  of  the  rock,  and 
in  one  instance  the  whole  mountain  spur  through  which  the  tun- 
nel had  been  driven  parted  from  the  main  mass  and,  sliding  down, 
obliterated  the  work,  so  that  it  was  necessary  to  begin  the  per- 
foration again,  contending  continually  against  the  enormous  press- 
ure of  the  loose  superincumbent  debris.  Were  this  the  fitting 
place,  it  would  be  interesting  to  give  the  history  of  this  enterprise 
more  in  detail ; especially  that  of  the  work  connected  with  building 
the  great  tunnel  and  the  temporary  track  which  was  in  use  when 
I first  passed  over  the  road.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  all  that  portion 
of  the  road  which  is  included  within  the  second  section  is  a triumph 
of  engineering,  which  excites  the  admiration  of  the  most  compe- 
tent judges,  and  is  in  the  highest  degree  creditable  to  those  under 
whose  direction  it  has  been  accomplished. 


APPENDIX. 


529 


V.  — PERMANENCE  OF  CHARACTERISTICS  IN  DIF- 
FERENT HUMAN  SPECIES. 

As  my  special  object  of  study  in  the  Amazons  had  reference  to 
the  character  and  distribution  of  the  fluviatile  faunae,  I could  not 
undertake  those  more  accurate  investigations  of  the  human  races, 
based  upon  minute  measurements  repeated  a thousand-fold,  which 
characterize  the  latest  researches  of  anthropologists.  A thorough 
study  of  the  different  nations  and  cross-breeds  inhabiting  the  Am- 
azonian Valley  would  require  years  of  observation  and  patient  ex- 
amination. I was  forced  to  be  satisfied  with  such  data  as  I could 
gather  aside  from  my  other  labors,  and  to  limit  myself  in  my  study 
of  the  races  to  what  I would  call  the  natural  history  method ; viz. 
the  comparison  of  individuals  of  different  kinds  with  one  another, 
just  as  naturalists  compare  specimens  of  different  species.  This 
was  less  difficult  in  a hot  country,  where  the  uncultivated  part  of 
the  population  go  half  naked,  and  are  frequently  seen  entirely  un- 
dressed. During  a protracted  residence  in  Manaos,  Mr.  Hunne- 
well  made  a great  many  characteristic  photographs  of  Indians  and 
Negroes,  and  half-breeds  between  both  these  races  and  the  Whites. 
All  these  portraits  represent  the  individuals  selected  in  three  normal 
positions,  in  full  face,  in  perfect  profile,  and  from  behind.  I hope 
sooner  or  later  to  have  an  opportunity  of  publishing  these  illustra- 
tions, as  well  as  those  of  pure  negroes  made  for  me  in  Rio  by 
Messrs.  Stahl  and  Wahnschaffe. 

What  struck  me  at  first  view,  in  seeing  Indians  and  Negroes 
together,  was  the  marked  difference  in  the  relative  proportions 
of  the  different  parts  of  the  body.  Like  long-armed  monkeys  the 
Negroes  are  generally  slender,  with  long  legs,  long  arms,  and 
a comparatively  short  body,  while  the  Indians  are  short-legged, 
short-armed,  and  long-bodied,  the  trunk  being  also  rather  heavy 
in  build.  To  continue  the  comparison,  I may  say  that  if  the  Negro 
23  HH 


530 


APPENDIX. 


by  bis  bearing  recalls  the  slender,  active  Hylobates,  the  Indian 
is  more  like  the  slow,  inactive,  stout  Orang.  Of  course  there  are 
exceptions  to  this  rule  ; short,  thick-built  Negroes  are  occasion- 
ally to  be  seen,  as  well  as  tall,  lean  Indians ; but,  so  far  as  my 
observation  goes,  the  essential  difference  between  the  Indian  and 
Negro  races,  taken  as  a whole,  consists  in  the  length  and  square 
build  of  the  trunk  and  the  shortness  of  limbs  in  the  Indian  as 
compared  with  the  lean  frame,  short  trunk,  deep-cleft  legs,  and 
long  arms  of  the  Negro. 

Another  feature  not  less  striking,  though  it  does  not  affect  the 
whole  figure  so  much,  is  the  short  neck  and  great  width  of  the 
shoulders  in  the  Indian.  This  peculiarity  is  quite  as  marked  in  the 
female  as  in  the  male,  so  that,  when  seen  from  behind,  the  Indian 
woman  has  a very  masculine  air,  extending  indeed  more  or  less  to 
her  whole  bearing ; for  even  her  features  have  ‘rarely  the  feminine 
delicacy  of  higher  womanhood.  In  the  Negro,  on  the  contrary, 
the  narrownfess  of  chest  and  shoulder  characteristic  of  woman  is 
almost  as  marked  in  the  man ; indeed,  it  may  well  be  said,  that, 
while  the  Indian  female  is  remarkable  for  her  masculine  build,  the 
Negro  male  is  equally  so  for  his  feminine  aspect.  Nevertheless, 
the  difference  between  the  sexes  in  the  two  races  is  not  equally 
marked.  The  female  Indian  resembles  in  every  respect  much  more 
the  male  than  is  the  case  with  the  Negroes ; the  females  among 
the  latter  having  generally  more  delicate  features  than  the  males. 

On  following  out  the  details  concomitant  with  these  general  dif- 
ferences, we  find  that  they  agree  most  strikingly.  In  a front 
view  of  an  Indian  woman  and  a Negress  the  great  difference  is  in 
the  width  between  the  breasts  of  the  former  as  compared  with  their 
close  approximation  in  the  latter.  In  the  Indian  the  interval  be- 
tween the  two  breasts  is  nearly  equal  to  the  diameter  of  one  of 
them ; while  in  the  Negro  they  stand  in  almost  immediate  contact. 
But  this  is  not  all ; the  form  of  the  breast  itself  is  very  different 
in  the  two.  The  Indian  woman  has  a conical  breast,  firm  and  well 
supported,  the  point  being  turned  so  far  sideways  that  the  breast 


APPENDIX. 


531 


seems  to  arise  under  the  arm-pit,  the  nipple  being  actually  pro- 
jected on  the  arm  in  a full-faced  view  of  the  chest.  In  the  negress 
the  breast  is  more  cylindrical,  looser,  and  more  flaccid,  Ihe  nipple 
being  turned  forward  and  downward,  so  that  in  a front  view  it  is 
projected  on  the  chest.  In  the  Indian  the  inguinal  region  is 
broad  and  distinctly  set  off  from  the  prominence  of  the  abdomen, 
while  in  the  Negro  it  is  a mere  fold.  As  to  the  limbs,  they  are  not 
only  much  longer  in  proportion  in  the  Negro  than  the  Indian  ; 
their  form  and  carriage  differs  also.  The  legs  of  the  Indians  are 
remarkably  straight,  in  the  Negro  the  knees  are  bent  in,  and  the  hip 
as  well  as  knee-joint  habitually  flexed.  Similar  differences  in  other 
parts  of  the  body  are  visible  from  behind ; in  the  Indians  the  in- 
terval betweerf  the.  two  shoulders,  the  shoulder-blades  being  com- 
paratively short  in  themselves,  is  much  greater  than  in  any  other 
race.  In  this  respect  the  women  do  not  differ  from  the  men,  but 
share  in  a feature  characteristic  of  the  whole  race.  This  peculi- 
arity is  especially  noticeable  in  a profile  view  of  the  figure,  in 
which  the  broad  rounded  shoulder  marks  the  outline  in  the  upper 
part  of  the  trunk  and  tapers  gradually  to  a well-shaped  arm,  ter- 
minating usually  in  a rather  small  hand ; the  little  finger  is  re- 
markably short.  In  the  Negro,  on  the  contrary,  the  shoulder-blades 
are  long  and  placed  more  closely  together,  the  shoulder  being  rather 
slim  and  narrow,  and  the  hand  disproportionately  slender,  though 
the  fingers  are  more  extensively  webbed  than  in  any  other  race. 
In  this  respect  there  is  little  difference  between  male  and  female, 
the  build  of  the  male  being  more  muscular,  but  hardly  stouter ; in 
both,  a profile  view  shows  the  back  and  breast  projected  forwards 
and  backwards  of  the  arm.  The  proportions  between  the  length 
and  width  of  the  trunk,  as  compared  with  each  other,  and,  measured 
from  the  shoulder  to  the  base  of  the  trunk,  hardly  differ  in  the 
Indian  and  Negro ; this  renders  the  difference  in  the  relative  length 
and  strength  of  the  arms  and  legs  the  more  apparent. 

I need  not  allude  to  the  difference  of  the  hair ; everybody  knows 
the  heavy,  straight  black  hair  of  the  Indian,  and  the  wrinkled, 


582 


APPENDIX. 


woolly  hair  of  the  Negro.  Nor  is  it  necessary  for  me  to  recall  the 
characteristic  features  of  the  Whites  in  order  to  contrast  them  with 
what  has  been  said  above  of  the  Indians  and  Negroes. 

Only  a few  words  more  concerning  half-breeds  are  needed  to  show 
how  deeply  seated  are  the  primary  differences  between  the  pure 
races.  Like  distinct  species  among  animals,  different  races  of  men, 
when  crossing,  bring  forth  half-breeds ; and  the  half-breeds  between 
these  different  races  differ  greatly.  The  hybrid  between  White  and 
Negro,  called  Mulatto,  is  too  well  known  to  require  further  descrip- 
tion. His  features  are  handsome,  his  complexion  clear,  and  his 
character  confiding,  but  indolent.  The  hybrid  between  the  Indian 
and  Negro,  known  under  the  name  of  Cafuzo,  is  quite  different. 
His  features  have  nothing  of  the  delicacy  of  the  Mulatto ; his  com- 
plexion is  dark ; his  hair  long,  wiry,  and  curly ; and  his  character 
exhibits  a happy  combination  between  the  jolly  disposition  of  the 
Negro  and  the  energetic,  enduring  powers  of  the  Indian.  The 
hybrid  between  White  and  Indian,  called  Mammeluco  in  Brazil,  is 
pallid,  effeminate,  feeble,  lazy,  and  rather  obstinate  ; though  it 
seems  as  if  the  Indian  influence  had  only  gone  so  far  as  to  ob- 
literate the  higher  characteristics  of  the  White,  without  imparting 
its  own  energies  to  the  offspring.  It  is  very  remarkable  how,  in 
both  combinations,  with  Negroes  as  well  as  Whites,  the  Indian  im- 
presses his  mark  more  deeply  upon  his  progeny  than  the  other  races, 
and  how  readily,  also,  in  further  crossings,  the  pure  Indian  char- 
acteristics are  reclaimed  and  those  of  the  other  races  thrown  off. 
I have  known  the  offspring  of  an  hybrid  between  Indian  and 
Negro  with  an  hybrid  between  Indian  and  White  resume  almost 
completely  the  characteristics  of  the  pure  Indian. 


APPENDIX. 


533 


VI.  — SKETCH  OF  SEPARATE  JOURNEYS  UNDER- 
TAKEN BY  DIFFERENT  MEMBERS  OF  THE 
EXPEDITION. 

It  is  not  possible  for  me  to  give  here  at  length  the  narrative  of 
the  separate  journeys  undertaken  by  my  young  companions.  To  do 
them  any  justice,  their  reports  should  be  illustrated  by  the  accom- 
panying maps,  geological  sections,  &c.,  which  are  more  appropriate 
in  a special  scientific  account.  I trust  that  I shall  hereafter  find 
resources  for  publishing  all  these  materials  in  a fitting  manner; 
but,  in  the  mean  while,  I should  do  a wrong  to  my  own  feelings  as 
well  as  to  my  assistants,  did  I not  add  to  this  volume  such  a sketch 
of  their  separate  work  as  will  show  with  how  much  energy,  perse- 
verance, and  intelligence  they  carried  out  the  instructions  I had 
given  them.  It  will  be  remembered  by  the  reader  that  one  object 
was  kept  constantly  in  view  throughout  this  expedition,  — namely, 
that  of  ascertaining  how  the  fresh-water  fishes  are  distributed 
throughout  the  great  river-systems  of  Brazil.  All  the  independent 
journeys,  of  which  short  sketches  are  given  in  this  summary,  were 
laid  out  with  reference  to  this  idea ; the  whole  expedition  being, 
in  fact,  a unit  so  far  as  its  purpose  and  general  plan  were  concerned. 
In  this  sense  my  own  exploration,  and  those  of  all  my  assistants, 
belong  together,  as  parts  of  one  connected  scheme. 

That  detachment  of  the  party  which  was  conducted  by  Mr. 
Orestes  St.  John  left  Rio  de  Janeiro  on  the  9th  of  June,  1865. 
This  company  consisted  of  Messrs.  St.  John,  Allen,  Ward,  and 
Sceva.  The  first  two  were  to  reach  the  Atlantic  coast  by  way  of 
the  Rio  San  Francisco  and  the  Rio  Paranahyba ; while  Mr.  Ward 
was  to  descend  the  Tocantins  to  the  Amazons,  and  Mr.  Sceva  to 
remain  for  some  time  in  the  fossiliferous  region  about  Lagoa  Sancta 
for  the  purpose  of  collecting.  As  far  as  Juiz  de  Fora  they  followed 


534 


APPENDIX. 


the  road  described  in  the  foregoing  narrative.  Thence  they  crossed 
the  Serra  do  Mantiqueira  to  Barbacena,  and  kept  on  from  that 
place  through  Lagoa  Dourada  and  Prados  across  the  Rio  Caran- 
dahy  to  the  divide  separating  the  head-waters  of  the  Rio  Grande 
on  the  south  from  those  of  the  Rio  Paraopeba  on  the  north.  They 
crossed  the  Paraopeba  just  above  the  water  gap  of  the  Serras  of 
Piedade  and  Itatiaiassu,  traversing  the  former  Serra  into  the  moun- 
tain valley  in  which  the  village  of  Morro  Velho  is  situated.  They 
thus  found  themselves  successively  in  the  basins  of  the  Rio  Para- 
hyba,  the  Rio  La  Plata,  and  the  Rio  San  Francisco;  all  these 
great  streams  being  fed  by  rivulets  which  arise  in  this  vicinity. 
On  leaving  the  mountainous  districts  they  continued  their  route 
through  alternate  campos  and  wooded  tracts  to  Gequitiba,  passing 
through  Saburd,  Santa  Luzia,  Lagoa  Sancta,  and  Sette  Lagoas. 

At  Lagoa  Sancta,  as  had  been  previously  agreed,  Mr.  Sceva  left 
the  party,  with  the  purpose  of  exploring  the  caves  of  that  region 
in  search  of  fossil  bones,  and  making  skeletons  of  mammalia.  He 
remained  for  some  time  in  this  neighborhood,  and  brought  away  a 
number  of  specimens,  though  he  did  not  succeed  in  finding  many 
fossils,  the  caves  having  been  already  despoiled  of  their  fossil  re- 
mains by  Dr.  Lund,  whose  indefatigable  researches  in  this  direc- 
tion are  so  well  known.  Mr.  Sceva,  however,  made  very  valuable 
collections  of  other  kinds,  and  I am  indebted  to  him  for  numerous 
carefully  prepared  specimens  of  Brazilian  mammalia,  which  now 
await  mounting  in  the  Museum.  On  leaving  Lagoa  Sancta,  Mr. 
Sceva  returned  to  Rio  de  Janeiro,  taking  his  collections  with  him. 
He  passed  some  days  there,  in  order  to  repack  and  put  in  safety 
his  own  specimens  as  well  as  those  which  had  been  sent  back  to 
Rio  by  other  members  of  the  party.  He  then  proceeded  to  Canta- 
Gallo,  and  passed  the  remainder  of  the  time  in  collecting  and  pre- 
paring specimens  from  that  part  of  the  country,  until  he  joined 
me  subsequently  at  Rio  just  before  we  returned  to  the  United 
States.  His  contributions  to  our  stores  were  exceedingly  valuable, 
both  on  account  of  the  localities  from  which  they  came  and  from 
the  care  with  which  they  were  put  up. 


APPENDIX. 


535 


Mr.  "Ward  had  already  separated  from  his  fellow-travellers  at 
Barbacena,  on  his  way  to  the  Tocantins,  taking  the  route  by  Ouro- 
Preto  and  Diamantina.  And  in  order  to  keep  together  the  adven- 
tures of  the  little  band  who  left  Rio  in  company,  I may  give  here 
a short  sketch  of  his  journey,  before  completing  the  account  of 
the  route  pursued  by  Messrs.  St.  John  and  Allen.  After  leaving 
the  valley  of  the  Rio  Parahyba  and  crossing  the  Mantiqueira  the 
party  found  itself  in  the  water-basin  of  the  Rio  Grande,  one  of  the 
principal  tributaries  of  the  Rio  Parana,  which,  emptying  into  the 
Rio  La  Plata,  reaches  the  ocean  below  Buenos  Ayres.  Eastward 
of  this  basin,  on  the  ocean-side  of  the  great  ridge  which  bounds  the 
valley  of  the  Rio  San  F rancisco,  arise  several  large  rivers,  — the 
Rio  Doce,  the  Rio  Mucury,  and  the  Rio  Jequitinhonha.  It  was 
one  of  my  most  earnest  desires  to  secure  the  means  of  comparing 
their  inhabitants  with  each  other  and  with  those  of  the  great  rivers 
flowing  north  and  east.  As  will  be  seen  hereafter,  Mr.  Hartt, 
with  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Copeland,  had  undertaken  to  explore  the 
lower  course  of  these  rivers ; but  it  was  equally  important  that 
specimens  should  be  obtained  from  their  head-waters.  While, 
therefore,  Mr.  St.  John  and  his  companion  pursued  their  way 
across  the  region  drained  by  the  head-waters  of  the  Rio  San  Fran- 
cisco, Mr.  Ward  crossed  the  mountains,  passing  from  one  river- 
basin  into  another,  in  order  to  examine  as  many  of  the  tributaries 
of  the  Rio  Doce  and  the  Rio  Jequitinhonha  as  possible.  To  him 
I owe  the  materials  necessary  for  a general  comparison. of  the  river 
faunae  in  these  different  basins.  His  journey  was  a laborious  and  a 
lonely  one.  Separating  from  his  companions  at  Barbacena  he  kept 
on  by  Ouro-Preto  and  Santa  Barbara  into  the  basin  of  the  Rio 
Doce,  which  he  followed  nearly  to  the  point  where  the  Rio  Antonio 
empties  into  it.  This  part  of  the  journey  gave  him  an  opportunity 
of  making  a collection  not  only  in  the  head-waters  of  the  Rio 
Doce,  but  in  one  of  its  principal  tributaries  also.  Thence  crossing 
the  Serra  das  Esmeraldas  Mr.  Ward  entered  the  water-basin  of  the 
Rio  Jequitinhonha,  commonly  called  Rio  Belmonte  on  the  maps, 


586 


APPENDIX. 


and  after  passing  Diamantina  explored  several  arms  of  this  great 
stream.  The  collections  he  made  in  this  region  are  of  special  in- 
terest with  reference  to  those  gathered  by  Messrs.  Hartt  and  Cope- 
land on  the  lower  course  of  the  same  rivers,  and  in  many  other 
streams  along  the  Atlantic  coast  between  Bahia  and  Rio  de  Ja- 
neiro. Having  accomplished  this  part  of  his  journey,  Mr.  Ward 
crossed  the  San  Francisco  at  Januaria,  making  a number  of  excur- 
sions in  that  vicinity;  then  passing  in  a northwesterly  direction 
over  the  ridges  which  separate  the  valley  of  the  San  Francisco 
from  that  of  the  Tocantins,  he  followed  the  whole  course  of  this 
great  stream  to  the  Amazons.  It  was  a daring  and  adventurous 
journey  to  be  accomplished  with  no  other  companionship  than  that 
of  the  camarado  who  served  him  as  guide,  or  the  Indian  boatmen 
who  rowed  his  canoe,  and  it  was  a day  of  rejoicing  for  our  whole 
party  when  we  heard,  in  the  month  of  January,  1866,  of  his  safe 
arrival  in  Pard,  whence  he  embarked  a few  weeks  later  for  the 
United  States. 

From  Lagoa  Sancta,  where  they  parted  from  Mr.  Sceva,  Messrs. 
St.  John  and  Allen  kept  on  to  Januaria  together,  but  at  this  point 
Mr.  Allen,  whose  health  had  been  failing  from  the  time  he  left  Rio 
de  Janeiro,  found  himself  unable  to  prosecute  the  journey  farther, 
and  he  resolved  to  strike  across  the  country  to  Bahia,  taking  in 
charge  the  collections  they  had  brought  together  thus  far.  After  a 
short  rest  at  Januaria,  he  made  his  way  to  Chique-Chique  on  the 
Rio  San  Francisco ; and  his  separate  journal  begins  from  the  time 
he  left  this  point,  on  his  journey  to  Bahia.  It  gives  a very  full 
account  of  the  physical  features  of  the  region  through  which  he 
passed,  of  the  geographical  character  of  the  soil,  and  of  the  distri- 
bution of  plants  and  animals,  including  many  original  observations 
concerning  the  habits  of  birds,  with  a detailed  itinerary  of  the  route 
through  Jacobina,  Espelto,  and  Caxoeira.  Prostrated  by  illness  as 
he  was,  he  has  nevertheless  furnished  a report  the  character  of 
which  shows  how  completely  his  interest  in  the  work  overcame  the 
lassitude  of  disease. 


APPENDIX. 


537 


From  Januaria  Mr.  St.  John  followed  the  San  Francisco  to  the 
Villa  do  Barra,  where  he  made  a short  stay,  and  then  resumed 
his  journey  by  land  through  the  valley  of  the  Rio  Grande  to  the 
Villa  da  Santa  Rita,  thence  to  Mocambo  and  across  the  table-land 
separating  the  basin  of  the  Rio  San  Francisco  from  that  of  the  Rio 
Paranahyba.  At  Paranagua  he  remained  several  days,  and  made 
a considerable  collection  from  this  vicinity.  Thence  he  followed 
the  valley  of  the  Rio  Gurugueia  to  Manga,  one  hundred  and  twenty 
leagues  from  Paranagua.  At  Manga  he  embarked  on  one  of  the 
singular  river-boats  made  of  the  leafstalks  of  the  Buriti  palm,  and 
descended  the  Paranahyba  to  the  villa  of  San  Gongallo.  Here  he 
stayed  for  some  time  to  collect,  and  forwarded  from  this  vicinity  a 
considerable  number  of  specimens,  chiefly  reptiles,  birds,  and  insects. 
His  next  station  was  at  Therezina,  the  capital  of  the  province  of 
Piauhy,  where  he  made  one  of  the  most  interesting  collections  of 
the  whole  journey  from  the  waters  of  the  Rio  Poty.  The  Poty  is  a 
tributary  of  the  Paranahyba,  into  which  it  empties  below  Therezina. 
In  examining  this  collection,  I was  particularly  struck  with  the  gen- 
eral similarity  of  the  fishes  contained  in  it  to  those  of  the  Amazons. 
They  exhibit  throughout  the  same  kind  of  combination  of  genera 
and  families,  although  the  species  are  entirely  distinct.  Thus,  from 
a zoological  point  of  view,  the  basin  of  the  Parahyba,  though  com- 
pletely separated  from  it  by  the  ocean,  would  seem  to  belong  to  the 
Amazonian  basin,  as  it  unquestionably  does  from  a geological  point 
of  view.  The  character  of  the  drift  deposits  along  the  Rio  Guru- 
gueia and  the  Rio  Paranahyba  shows  this  area  to  have  been  con- 
tinuous with  the  basin  in  which  the  Amazonian  drift  was  deposited ; 
and  the  similarity  of  their  zoological  features  is  but  another  evi- 
dence, from  an  entirely  different  source,  of  the  extensive  denudations 
which  have  isolated  these  regions  from  one  another  by  removing 
the  tracts  which  formerly  made  them  a unit. 

From  Therezina  Mr.  St.  John  proceeded  to  Caxias,  and  finally 
arrived  in  Maranham,  by  the  way  of  the  Rio  Itapicuru,  on  the  8th 
January,  1866 ; having  completed  a journey  of  moie  than  seven 
23* 


538 


APPENDIX. 


hundred  leagues  in  seven  months,  over  a route  the  greater  part  of 
which  had  never  been  examined  from  a zoological  or  geological  point 
of  view.  His  collections,  though  necessarily  limited  by  the  difficulty 
of  transport  and  the  insufficient  provision  of  alcohol,  were  very  val- 
uable, and  arrived  at  their  destination  in  good  condition.  Of  his 
geological  observations  I have  said  little  ; but  it  is  from  him  I have 
obtained  the  data  which  have  enabled  me  to  compare  the  basin  of 
Piauhy  with  that  of  the  Amazons.  He  made  careful  geological 
surveys  wherever  he  was  able  to  do  so,  and  has  recorded  the  re- 
sult of  his  observations  in  a manner  which  shows  that  he  never 
lost  sight  of  the  general  relations  between  the  great  structural  fea- 
tures of  the  country  through  which  he  passed.  At  Maranham,  the 
intermittent  fever,  under  which  Mr.  St.  John  had  been  suffering 
during  the  latter  part  of  his  journey,  culminated  in  a severe  illness, 
from  which  he  recovered  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Braga,  who  took 
him  into  his  own  house,  and  did  not  allow  him  to  leave  his  roof  until 
he  was  restored  to  health.  From  Maranham  Mr.  St.  John  joined 
me  at  Parfi,  where  I had  an  opportunity  of  comparing  notes  with 
him  on  the  spot. 

During  the  first  two  months  of  his  stay  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  Mr. 
Hartt  was  chiefly  occupied  with  Mr.  St.  John  in  examining  sections 
of  the  Dom  Pedro  Railroad,  of  which  he  prepared  a very  clear  and 
careful  geological  survey,  with  ample  illustrations.  On.  the  19th  of 
June,  1865,  he  left  the  city  to  explore  the  coast  between  the  Rio 
Parahyba  do  Sul  and  Bahia ; being  accompanied  by  Mr.  Edward 
Copeland,  one  of  our  volunteers,  who  gave  him  very  efficient  assist- 
ance in  collecting,  during  the  whole  time  they  remained  together. 
At  Campos,  on  the  Rio  Parahyba,  they  obtained  a large  number  of 
fishes,  beside  other  specimens.  From  that  point  they  went  up  the 
Rio  Muriahy  for  some  distance,  and  then,  returning  to  Campos,  as- 
cended the  Rio  Parahyba  to  San  Fidelis,  where  they  again  added 
largely  to  their  collections.  Taking  mules  at  San  Fidelis,  they 
traversed  the  forest  northward  to  Bom-Jesu,  on  the  Rio  Itabapuana, 
and  then  descended  that  river,  stopping  to  collect  at  Porto  da  Li- 


APPENDIX. 


539 


meira  and  at  the  Barra.  Thence  they  followed  the  coast  to  Victoria  ; 
and  it  was  their  intention  to  have  proceeded  northward  to  the  Rio 
Doce,  but,  for  want  of  mules  and  money  (their  supplies  having  given 
out),  they  were  obliged  to  make  Nova  Almeida,  their  farthest  point. 
Thence  they  returned  by  way  of  Victoria  to  Rio  de  Janeiro  in  a 
sailing-vessel.  In  the  course  of  this  journey  they  obtained  valuable 
collections  both  on  the  Rio  Itapemerim  and  at  Guarapary.  Mr. 
Hartt  also  made  a careful  study  of  the  geology  of  the  coast,  the  result 
of  which  forms  an  interesting  portion  of  his  report. 

On  their  return  to  Rio,  Mr.  Hartt  and  Mr.  Copeland  were  detained 
for  some  time  by  the  failure  of  a steamer.  They  occupied  them- 
selves in  the  mean  while  in  various  work  for  the  expedition,  making 
excursions  in  the  vicinity,  and  collecting  in  the  harbor  of  Rio.  Dis- 
appointed in  the  steamer,  they  started  on  board  a sailing-vessel,  and 
had  a slow  and  tedious  voyage  to  San  Matheos,  collecting  on  their 
way  wherever  the  stopping  of  the  vessel  enabled  them  to  ‘ do  so. 
Neither  did  Mr.  Hartt  neglect,  on  every  such  occasion,  to  examine 
the  coast,  and  the  phenomena  connected  with  its  general  rise,  of 
which  he  obtained  unquestionable  evidence.  From  San  Matheos, 
where  they  made  considerable  collections,  they  took  conveyance  to 
the  Rio  Doce,  and  ascended  this  river  for  ninety  miles  to  the  first 
fall,  Porto  de  Souza.  Descending  its  course  again  to  Linhares,  they 
explored  the  river  and  lake  of  Juparanaa,  and  then  returned  to  San 
Matheos ; making  large  marine  collections  at  Barra  Secca,  half-way 
between  the  Rio  Doce  and  San  Matheos.  Thence  they  proceeded 
to  the  Rio  Mucury,  stopping  a few  days  at  its  mouth  to  collect,  and 
then  ascending  the  river  to  Santa  Clara.  Here  Mr.  Copeland  re- 
mained, and  secured  a fine  collection  of  fishes ; while  Mr.  Hartt 
crossed  over  the  river  Peruhype  to  the  Colonia  Leopoldina.  On 
his  return  he  was  detained  for  some  days  by  illness,  but  was  soon 
able  to  resume  his  journey  ; and  he  and  Mr.  Copeland  then  went  on 
with  Mr.  Schieber*  to  Philadelphia,  in  the  province  of  Minas 

* This  gentleman,  who  is  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  whole  country,  was 
untiring  in  his  attentions  to  Messrs.  Hartt  and  Copeland,  and  gave  them,  so 
far  as  he  could,  every  facility  for  their  researches. 


540 


APPENDIX. 


Geraes,  collecting  on  the  way  at  the  Rio  Urucu,  and  afterwards  at 
Philadelphia.  Along  the  coast,  and  indeed  throughout  his  whole 
journey,  Mr.  Hartt  continued  his  geological  observations,  which 
he  carefully  recorded.  From  Philadelphia  he  and  his  companion 
proceeded  by  land  to  Calhdo,  on  the  Rio  Arassuahy;  making  a 
detour  from  Alahu  to  Alto  dos  Bois,  in  order  to  study  the  drift  and 
the  geological  structure  of  the.  elevated  Chapadas.  At  Calhao  they 
also  made  good  collections  of  fishes.  Returning  to  Calhao  from  a 
visit  to  Minas  Novas  and  a study  of  its  gold-mines,  Mr.  Hartt  de- 
scended the  Rio  Jequitinhonha  three  hundred  and  sixty  miles  to 
the  sea.  Mr.  Copeland  had  preceded  him  in  order  to  make  an 
excursion  to  Caravellas ; and  they  met  again  at  Cannavieiras. 

At  Cannavieiras  they  made  good  collections,  and  then  ascended 
the  Rio  Pardo  to  its  first  fall,  fishing  and  geologizing  along  their 
route.  They  visited  also  Belmonte,  and  then  went  southward  to 
Porto  Seguro,  where  they  stayed  for  several  days,  collecting  corals 
and  marine  invertebrates.  Here,  as  at  several  other  points  along 
the  coast,  Mr.  Hartt  made  a careful  examination  of  the  stone-reefs. 
His  researches  on  these  “ recifes,”  which  constitute  so  remarkable 
a feature  along  the  Atlantic  coast  of  Brazil,  are  exceedingly  inter- 
esting ; and  I do  not  know  that  any  geologist  has  made  a more 
careful  and  connected  examination  of  them.  He  believes  them  to 
be  formed  by  the  solidification  of  beach  ridges ; the  lower  part  of 
which  being  cemented  by  the  lime  dissolved  from  the  shells  con- 
tained in  them  remains  intact,  while  the  upper  portion  was  carried 
off*  by  storms ; thus  leaving  a solid  wall  running  along  the  coast, 
broken  through  here  and  there,  and  divided  from  the  land  by  a 
narrow  channel.  He  studied  the  coast  reefs  both  at  Santa  Cruz 
and  at  Porto  Seguro,  and  ascertained  their  southward  extension  to 
the  Abrolhos.  From  Porto  Seguro  Messrs.  Hartt  and  Copeland 
went  northward  to  Bahia,  touching  at  several  points  along  the  coast, 
and  thence  returned  to  Rio  de  Janeiro,  whence  we  sailed  together 
for  the  United  States  in  the  month  of  July,  1866. 


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